Dodging Bullets
by flamefairyx777
Summary: After a mission gone astray, Agent Lucy Heartfilia of Sabertooth is accused of being a spy for the terrorist organization, Tartaros. To prove her innocence, Lucy must stop Tartaros, but in order to do that she must team up with Sabertooth's number one enemy, Fairy Tail. Spy AU., NaLu!
1. Prologue

**Get ready people. I've got a lot planned for this one! Heads up, this will probably be one of the longest prologues of your lives.**

 **I do not own Fairy Tail, just this story.**

Silence engulfed the night. It was the perfect time for raccoons to sneak through trashcans or fireflies to light up the night sky. It wasn't however the most ideal night for a rescue mission.

There was a warehouse on the outskirts of the port town Hargeon. It used to be a boat storehouse that had gone out of business. Now it was the location of sinister actions.

Old boats were scattered across the lot, deteriorating from years of no use. The lights in the warehouse were the only sign that there was life stirring in there. From around the corner of the building emerged a man. In his arms was a firearm ready to fire. He used his breath to move a strand of his blonde hair from his face. His cloths were dark to blend in with the twilight surrounding him, however on his right peck one could clearly see the red symbol of two hammers overlapping each other.

This mark was the insignia for Tartaros, the terrorist organization. For years they had sent terror through the country of Fiore. The country would retaliate but they always seemed one step ahead of them. The only people who stood a chance against the evil that was Tartaros were the Special Forces agencies that ranged throughout Fiore.

The most notorious being Fairy Tail.

As the man continued his patrol of the area, three shadowy figures snuck behind a decaying boat, completely avoiding his line of sight. Each one was covered head to toe in black clothing like the man guarding the building. Their faces were covered with black cloth pieces and black masks making them appear like wraiths prepared to attack an unsuspecting victim. They leaned up against it for a minute or so to insure avoided detection. The smaller one of the two glanced over the side of the boat and at the warehouse twenty or so meters away. They yanked off the mask revealing their feminine features. Her brown eyes flickered to her partners as a strand of scarlet hair fell over one eye.

Even though Fairy Tail was the strongest and most well known agency in all of Fiore, even they feared the power of Tartaros. There was little known about the terrorists and to go against them blind would be suicide. Often times Fairy Tail tried to avoid direct conflict or intervention with them unless they had the upper hand, however the mission they were on wasn't a run of the mill bombing or hostage situation. Tartaros had crossed the line with Fairy Tail.

They had kidnapped one of their own agents.

"I only see one guard but there are most definitely more." The teammate closest to her removed their mask, a mop of raven hair falling over their face. He pushed it out of his eyes, flashing the tiniest remnant of a scar just below his hairline.

"Alright then. You head into the warehouse while Flame Brain and I take the sides. We'll head around the east side and draw their fire after you grab Lisanna."

"No way!" exclaimed the last team member, yanking his mask off. He had spiky pink hair shooting in all directions and dark onyx eyes that burned with fury and determination, "I'll go in and grab Lisanna. The two of you work better together anyway."

"Natsu I'm faster than you. I need to be the one to grab Lisanna. I need you and Gray to handle the guards so we can escape," said the redhead strictly.

The raven-haired man, Gray nodded his head, "You're not the only one who wants Lisanna home, Natsu. She's our friend."

"But she's my fiancée," Natsu retaliated, "I should be the one to save her." Since Natsu had been assigned to the mission all he could think about was saving his dear fiancée. He blamed himself for not watching over her and he believed it was his responsibility to bring her out of harms way.

"You think I care about that Fire Breath?" growled Gray. Natsu growled in response. Both men jumped when their redhead partner took her firearm and jabbed it roughly into each of their heads.

"Both of you be quiet!" she whispered loudly, "The longer we waste deciding who's going to do what the less time Lisanna has." That shut the men up quickly. The redhead sighed, "Natsu if it's that important then you can grab Lisanna." Natsu looked up at his partner and smiled widely. That had been the best news he had heard all day.

"Thanks Erza. You're the best."

"Yes I know," Erza nodded, "Since you're grabbing Lisanna, Gray and I will handle Tartaros' men. We'll draw them to the east side while you bring Lisanna to the van. If you don't find her within the hour then I'm going in." Natsu nodded in understanding. The agents grabbed their gear and started putting their masks back on.

"What happens if she's already dead," Gray asked. In the field they were in, death was always a possibility. Though they all wanted to believe that they would rescue their close friend, there was the chance that they were already too late.

"She's not dead," Natsu stated firmly, pushing his mask over his face," I can feel it. I won't let anything happen to her."

"I know you won't." said Erza, cocking her gun, "Remember that under no circumstances are you too reveal you're identity to the terrorists. Stick to code names, right boys?"

"Yes Erza," they said in unison. Before they had time to react, Erza jabbed her gun handle into their feet. They clamped their mouths shut to keep from screaming out in pain.

"What was that?" the redhead asked. They could see her glaring darkly at them through her mask. The two full-grown men shrunk at the sight of the scary woman.

"N-Nothing T-Titania," Erza nodded firmly. Going into stealth mode, the redhead crawled toward another nearby boat to take cover. Gray and Natsu followed close behind her, arming themselves as well.

"Do your best not to get shot," Gray muttered to Natsu through his mask. He couldn't see it, but Natsu was smirking like a madman.

"Do your best TO get shot," Natsu joked. Without another word the group split up, Erza and Gray to handle the guards and Natsu to find Lisanna.

 **FAIRY TAIL**

Not far from the warehouse was a lighthouse. It was rarely used with the advancements in modern technology, but that night someone felt the need to start the light up once more. The lighthouse sat on a hill overshadowing the warehouse.

On the hill, lying against the cold stones on its edge was a man. He was clad in black with a thick mop of shaggy black hair. Up against his face was a pair of binoculars. Through them he could see all the happenings at the warehouse from the west side. His sight rested on an open window on what looked like the fourth story.

Next to him were his two comrades. One of them was a woman with short silvery white hair in the style of a pixie cut. She had on a black jumpsuit along with a black beanie. Attached to the beanie was a clip in the shape of a blue rose.

Beside her was what appeared to be a radio set. She put the headphones over her ears and adjusted it to meet the correct frequency. When all the fuzziness of the radio died away, she turned to her team captain, giving her a thumb up.

The captain of their group wore a black combat shirt with no sleeves. On her waist, attached to her cargo pants was a belt with three hand grenades and extra bullets in case of emergencies. Despite her tough attire she had soft brown eyes and blonde hair that went to her shoulders tied up in pigtails. On her right hand was a pink tattoo of some sort of wild cat's head. Even with her childlike looks she meant business. The captain nodded and laid down beside the man with the binoculars.

"Do you see her?" the blonde questioned her partner. He nodded lightly, eyes still focused on the window.

"Yeah, see for yourself. Fourth floor, third window," he said. He pulled the binoculars away, revealing his crimson red eyes. He handed the tool to his partner who took it and held it in front of her. She followed his instructions and gazed down at the window.

The first thing she noticed was a pure white lab coat. There was a woman with long black hair walking past the window. Her eyes were on a clipboard in her hands and it looked like she was speaking.

Another woman approached her. This one was covered from head to toe in black. Her jumpsuit appeared nicer than the other with a faux vest and black pumps. A mask covered her face with a funky black pattern decorating it.

She looked farther into the room past the two women. Her eyes settled on a third one. This one had long hair that was a sickly green color. Unlike the other two she was wearing a purple uniform, probably signifying authority over the others. She was staring at a chair in front of her. It was the person in the chair that caused a small smile to sneak its way onto the captain's face.

Strapped to the chair was a woman with short white hair. It almost blended in with her pale skin that was covered in bruises and cuts. She had on a plain light purple shirt and shorts. She didn't look special, but that was the person they were there to rescue.

"Do you see her?" the white haired woman in their own group asked, removing the headphones from her head. The captain nodded, "That's her alright. She matches the description perfectly."

"We should move out soon then," said the black haired male, "The guards on this side are rotating at one minute intervals. If we move soon we should be able to get past their defenses." As he made a reach for his supplies, the captain placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"Wait a minute," she said. She readjusted the binoculars to get a closer look at the girl strapped to the chair, more specifically the mark on her leg. It blended in very well with her pale skin, but the blonde woman was able to make out its outline. She let out a frustrated sigh.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"What is it?" asked her partner.

"She's from Fairy Tail."

"What?" exclaimed the girl by the radio. She put her headphones down and crawled over to her other two comrades. The captain handed her the binoculars and pointed a finger to the window the woman was in.

"Look at her right thigh. It's hard to see but she has a white insignia tattooed there." The silver haired girl focused on the young woman's leg and sure enough, she could see the symbol for the most well known agency, Fairy Tail.

"Great," muttered the man, "The Director and Minerva aren't going to be happy about this." The captain stared down at the window deep in thought.

"Can't we still save her?" asked the girl with the binoculars. She placed them down on the stone floor and turned to her partner. He shook his head, running a hand through his dark hair.

"No Yukino, If Fairy Tail hasn't already saved her then they are already trying. I wouldn't be surprised if they already sent agents here to retrieve her. Besides, the last thing Fairy Tail wants is to have us members of Sabertooth getting involved with their mission." Of all the Special Forces agencies Fiore had, the ones that got along the least were Fairy Tail and Sabertooth. While they both fought for the same country, they were constantly at each others throats. They both competed for the top spot as the best in Fiore. No matter how hard the government tried to get them to cooperate, they just couldn't satisfy the two powers. "We should get out of here before things get hectic." The two subordinates turned to their blonde captain, who was still deep in thought. She sat up in her seat, eyes firm with resolve.

"No, we were sent here to save this woman and we're going to do it. The last thing "The Young Lady" wants is for us to screw up another mission because Fairy Tail got in the way." Of all the people who despised Fairy Tail, Director Jiemma Orland and his daughter, The Young Lady, Minerva. They loathed the fairies with a passion and could not accept less than satisfactory results, especially from their top group.

"But she's a Fairy," said Yukino, "Surely Minerva-sama doesn't know otherwise she wouldn't have had us bother saving her."

The captain's eyes flickered down to Yukino. While Yukino didn't notice it, a flickered of sadness appeared in her brown eyes. This wasn't the first time she had to deal with Fairy Tail. She had had innumerable encounters with their agents. She could not deny that they had talent in the field and if she hadn't joined Saber she might have joined them. So unlike the other people working alongside her, she did not hate Fairy Tail.

There was of course another reason.

She hadn't told Yukino or Ryos, the man with the dark hair, because she feared the way they would view her if they knew what was in her heart.

And the person who had claimed it.

She had met him on the field about a year ago. They were both fighting over a disk that held important data. Not fighting like hand to hand or with guns, but actual arguing. Even though that's what they were doing, they were both smiling like madmen and laughing in-between insults.

After that she had seen him plenty of times while on missions. They were always against each other since their agencies were competing, but they always seemed to be having a blast doing it. She struggled to deny that she had any feelings for this man because of their rivalry, along with the fact she didn't actually know his name. Like her team, everyone went by a code name to protect his or her identity. All she knew was that he was called "Salamander".

Fairy Tail's overall love for their members, talent, and her unspoken feelings toward one of their agents were the reasons she could not hate them; no matter what. The captain stood up and looked down at her teammate and friend.

"I don't care that Minerva hates Fairy Tail. We are all fighting on the same side. Just because we have this rivalry it doesn't mean we have to stoop down lower than to help someone in need." She turned to Ryos who was staring at her in bewilderment. "You and I will head down there and grab the girl while Yukino talks to us over radio."

"What if we run into the Fairies?" he asked. The captain smirked. She pulled out her pistol from it's holder. It looked like a typical pistol, however on the side of it was carved the insignia of the Sabertooth agency along with a three digit number. Holding out her gun, she cocked it happily.

"Do what we always do. Brawl until one of us wins."

 **FAIRY TAIL**

Natsu leaned up against the wall of the warehouse, panting heavily. He had just barely avoided a guard and ruined the whole operation. The last thing he needed was to save Lisanna with a battalion of terrorists on his tail. He glanced down the corner to see if anyone else was coming and sighed happily to see the hallway empty. Tightening his grip on his gun, Natsu turned the corner to reach the next.

His combat boots thumped quietly as he ran down the hallway. He took a peak into a nearby room to see if Lisanna by chance was in there. His disappointment was evident when it was nothing more than a spare room. He started moving to the next one when his highly acute ears picked up voices. He propped himself against another wall and looked down the hall to find two people. They wore helmets and thick vests, most likely bullet proof. Natsu eyed the firearms in their hands. With rifles they had the distance advantage. He figured his best bet would be to fall back and find another way to the next floor. As he was about to turn around his boot scrapped against the ground. He clenched his teeth in surprise.

"Did you hear that?" one of the men asked. Natsu could hear footsteps approaching his location. Sweat formed on his brow in apprehension. Sucking in a breath, Natsu cocked his gun.

 _Go big or go home I guess._

Without a moments hesitation Natsu turned the front part of his body around the corner and fired three rounds. The men had little time to react when a bullet hit one of them in the chest and at the others leg. Natsu rushed out to the one who was hit in the chest and slugged him in the head and twice in the stomach.

As he fell over his comrade tried to fire his gun at Natsu. He missed and Natsu rushed over to him. Since he had a handy cap, Natsu aimed for the guy's leg and kicked it hard. The man was about to scream in pain but Natsu covered his mouth. He quickly head butted him, knocking him unconscious.

He looked over his handy work. Both hits had knocked the men unconscious but not before guns had been fired. He would have to worry later though. The longer he wasted the less likely he would be able to save his fiancée. He dragged the two men to a nearby room and dropped them unceremoniously. Grabbing his gun he continued his mission to find Lisanna.

 **FAIRY TAIL**

On the same side of the building, Sabertooth's team was preparing to make entry. The captain and Ryos, who went by the code name "Rogue", ducked down while speeding toward the warehouse. When they reached the building, the captain looked up to where the window was. She nodded over to Rogue who pulled out a black bag. From it he took out a circular object with a hand grasp on the back. He pulled out a second one and handed it to the captain. She typed in something on the grasp surface and faced the object to the wall. As she did, the object was drawn to the wall and stuck to it like putty. The captain brought a hand to her ear where her radio communicator was.

"Yukino, can you hear me?" she whispered to the headpiece. Over by the cliffs Yukino was fiddling with the radio.

"Loud and clear Princess," she responded, using her captain's code name. She pulled out the binoculars and looked back at the warehouse, "There should be a room to the right of the girls where there are no guards. Stay there until I give the okay that there is no one there."

"Princess" nodded and grasped the handle of the circular object. She did the same thing with the other one causing it to stick to the wall as well. Using her strength she pulled the object off and placed it up higher along the wall. Using the old crevices in the wall for support she hoisted herself up and started climbing toward the room. Rogue followed close behind her, using the same climbing technology.

They moved swiftly up the wall up to the room Yukino was talking about. As they got there they could hear what was going on inside the room where the hostage was.

"I'll ask you one last time. How much information did you steal?" The girl said nothing and Princess heard a slapping sound.

"My patience is growing wary and I'm running out of tools to torture you. If you don't say anything then I'll just have to kill you."

"I do not believe that to be wise Kyôka-sama," said a softer more chilling voice, "Her vitals are already low. Until we know exactly what she found out we can't kill her. We still need to know if she told anyone about our plans."

"I agree with Kyôka that we just do away with her," said a third voice. It sounded oddly familiar to Princess but she couldn't tell where she had heard it. Before any of them were able to continue, a sound echoed through the building, one everyone knew like the back of their hand.

 _Gunshots?_

"Intruders," said the woman named Kyôka, "Looks like you're friends are here to save you." Princess's dark eyes widened, a smile appearing on her face.

 _Fairy Tail._

"If Fairy Tail is here then we must take our leave Kyôka-sama. It is no longer safe here."

There was silence before Kyôka responded, "You are right. Tell Jackal that we are leaving Seilah and meet me at the helicopter. We'll leave the girl here."

"To let those fairies have her! Have you lost her mind? What about the plan?"

"The plan will continue on. We no longer need her. If she gets the information back to Fairy Tail then so be it. Nothing will steer us away from our present course." Silence from the other two women followed along with the sound of footsteps leaving the room. Princess looked down at Rogue who didn't know what to do. After another moment of waiting Princess decided to go ahead and climb into the room the women had already been in.

She peaked in carefully to make sure the coast was clear. The room was small, about the size of a small office. On one side of the room was a set of computers. She could see little images on them that were the feed from around the warehouse. There was also a table lined with different devices that Princess deduced were for torture with all the blood covering them. Lastly there was a chair, with a young girl strapped to it. Her eyes were closed and her breathing very calm. Princess cringed at the number of injuries that decorated her pale skin.

She hoisted herself over the edge of the window and into the room. She sped over to the door to make sure there was nobody in the hallway. As she turned back into the room she saw Rogue climbing over the windowsill.

"Guard the door while I untie her," ordered Princess. He nodded and went to the door. He past by the table with the torture equipment and stared at it sadly.

"I guess the rumors about Tartaros are true. They really are masters of torture."

"We can't worry about that now," said Princess, kneeling down beside Lisanna and putting two fingers on her neck to find a pulse, "We need to get her out of here and treated." Princess started working at the straps holding Lisanna to the chair. As she did, she saw Lisanna's body begin to move slightly. She glanced up from her work to see Lisanna slowly blink her eyes open. Her light blue eyes drifted toward Princess. Her mouth parted slowly out of pain and Princess shook her head.

"W-Who-"

"Don't talk," Princess interrupted, "You need to save as much strength as you can." She continued to undo the restraints while Lisanna weakly stared down at her. Her blue eyes fell on the pink tattoo on her hand.

"You're from… Sabertooth." Princess froze for a minute before returning wordlessly to her work. The two women sat in silence up until Princess started on the last restraint on her leg.

"Why are you saving me?" Lisanna asked softly. Princess let her hands slowly fall away from the completed strap and looked up at the white haired woman. She blinked at her innocently, a small smile forming.

"Not every Saber hates you Fairies, ne?" Lisanna sat there silently before a tiny smile of her own appeared.

"What's you're name?" Lisanna suddenly asked.

"Princess," she responded. Lisanna shook her head.

"No, I mean your real name." Princess stared up at her surprisingly. To share an agent' real name could have numerous unintended consequences, especially if Lisanna was a member of Fairy Tail. Before Princess could do anything, her voice betrayed her.

"Lucy."

"Captain," Rogue exclaimed, turning his attention away from door. Yukino gasped through the communicator. Lucy stared up at Lisanna completely petrified. She had no idea why she had spoken her real name. Now a member of Fairy Tail knew it. The blonde was surprised when a strained giggle came from Lisanna.

"I won't tell anyone. Not all Fairies hate you Saber's," she said, copying Lucy's earlier comment. Her body relaxed and she let out a relieved sigh. Lisanna's joking behavior dropped as she stared down at Lucy.

"Lucy," she said hoarsely, placing a hand on her shoulder. Lucy's eyes flickered down to the hand and back at Lisanna whose face portrayed utter seriousness. Rogue watched them in curiosity.

"Lucy. I need you to remember. I need y-you to s-see." Lisanna's eyes began to droop. Her hand shook unsteadily on Lucy's shoulder.

"Hang on!" The blonde said, actually concerned for the girl. Lisanna steadied herself once more, her eyes meeting Lucy's as they began to drift closed.

"The tiger has fallen into the abyss."

Lucy speechlessly watched as Lisanna's eyes drifted closed and she fell back into the chair. She placed a hand against her pulse and sighed knowing that she had simply passed out from stress and exhaustion. She turned over at Rogue who was just as dumbfounded as her.

" _Fallen into the abyss?_ " said Yukino over the communicator, having heard the whole thing.

"The tiger?" echoed Rogue, "What does that mean?" Suddenly, a gun handle came in contact with the back of Rogue's head. He turned around to see who had hit him but was slugged in the nose. He fell back a few feet as the intruder hit him in the side a few times then shoved him across the room. Rogue fell on the table with the torture equipment and snapped it in half with his weight. He lay there limply as Lucy's head shot towards the person at the door. He seemed equally shocked to see her and quickly yanked off his hat and mask.

"Princess?" Natsu exclaimed. Lucy jumped to her feet.

"Salamander?"

"What are you doing here?" they both asked at the same time.

"I'm saving her!" they exclaimed, pointing to Lisanna. When Natsu saw the limp and bloodied body of his fiancée he could feel his blood churn. An unbridled rage toward Tartaros began to make his blood feel hot. Lucy noticed this and feared for his well-being. Remembering her orders to her teammates before the mission, Lucy lifted her hands into a fighting position.

"I guess we'll have to solve this the hard way." Natsu stared at her questioningly before smirking. He brought his arms up into his own fighting position.

"Ready when you are," said Lucy haughtily.

"I'm all fired up."

Lucy rushed up to Natsu with her leg already in the air. She swung at his head which he blocked with his arm. She tried another kick with her other leg which Natsu grabbed and twisted, causing Lucy to fall to the ground.

She rolled to the side and jumped back to her feet. She ran to the other side of the room where the computers were to avoid Lisanna. Natsu followed behind and tried swinging hits at her, which she dodged easily. In their many battles it was clear that Natsu was the stronger one, but Lucy was swift along with smart. Lucy threw her own punches at him, hitting him in the chest. Natsu recoiled back in surprise. He laughed.

"You've gotten better."

"Either that or you've gotten worse," Lucy shot back. Their fighting went on for another minute or two, neither one hitting any major blows.

Natsu had Lucy backed up to the computers and hit her twice in the side. Before he could land another hit, the blonde reached for a computer mouse on the desktop. She grabbed the cable and swung the mouse at him. The small device hit him in the head pretty hard. He was pretty positive it would leave a bruise.

He grabbed both of her shoulders and she did the same. They wrestled against each other, their arms aching from their fingers digging into their skin. Natsu planned on using his last bit of strength to shove Lucy so she would fall against the computers just like her partner. He didn't want to hurt her terribly.

Sabertooth always annoyed him. Their tactics were at times unethical and extremely crude. Before he met Princess he had just about had enough of them interfering with his missions, however after meeting her that changed. She gave him a challenge and that made his missions worthwhile. She was determined and smart, and might he add very pretty for a low-life Saber. If he didn't consider her a rival than he considered her a friend.

 _Sorry about this Princess,_ he thought.

He prepared himself to fling her into the computer system, only to discover halfway through that she was planning the same thing. Both of them crashed into the computer table, knocking them off and onto the floor. The crashing filled the room and they assumed the hallway as well. The table broke under their combined weight making it all the more painful.

Natsu lifted himself to see that he was hovering over Princess. She had a light blush on her cheeks, which he didn't notice. All of a sudden, the two of them broke out into laughter.

"We'll call it a draw," said Lucy. Natsu pouted which Lucy found adorable.

"Absolutely not. We both know I'm the better fighter."

"Maybe," Lucy said softly, "or maybe you were just going easy on me." Natsu climbed off of her, holding a hand out to help her to her feet. Both of their bodies ached immensely but neither complained. She let her hand linger a moment longer as the two stared at each other. Lucy's heart raced as he towered over her. Lucy opened her mouth to say something when they were brought back to the present by the sound of an uncomfortable whimper. They both turned to the white haired girl sitting on the chair. She uneasily blinked her eyes open.

"Lisanna," Natsu said, voice deep with emotion. Lucy watched curiously as he ran over to her side and fell down beside her. Natsu grabbed Lisanna's cheeks so she could look at him.

"Lisanna, are you alright? Are you in pain?" he asked desperately. Lisanna blinked once as a small smile appeared. She lifted a hand up to the back of Natsu's head. She gently guided his head and brought his forehead to hers. They sat in each others comfort, rubbing their foreheads gently.

Lucy watched the scene in astonishment and surprise. Different scenarios entered her mind as she wondered why they would do that. She didn't notice her mouth trembling until she spoke.

"Do you now each other?" she asked apprehensively. Natsu removed his forehead from Lisanna's to look back at Lucy. Natsu stood up from the ground, helping Lisanna up with him.

"We're engaged," he answered.

Lucy's breathing suddenly ceased. Her eyes drifted to their hands that were still intertwined. Never once had it crossed her mind that he was already in a relationship. He didn't really seem like the type, but as she looked at their hands and the overall image of the couple she could clearly see it.

They looked perfect for each other. She could already tell that Lisanna had a more mellow attitude to match Natsu's wild one. They probably never fought or teased each other like Lucy and Natsu did to each other on their missions. They had probably known each other for years while she only knew him for one. Their bond must have been stronger than duels and missions. Some reality got caught in the net of Lucy's mind when she realized they had one thing in common that she didn't.

They were Fairies, and she was a Saber.

 _Who was I kidding,_ Lucy thought wistfully, _him and I would have never worked._

"We need to move out of here," Natsu said as Lucy contemplated her situation, "Can you walk Lisanna."

"I-I think so," replied Lisanna. She tried to take a step forward but her weak legs failed her and she started falling. Natsu caught her and helped her stand to her feet.

"This isn't good. You won't be able to get very far on your own, and with Tartaros and Sabertooth after us-"

"Sabertooth won't follow." Natsu and Lisanna's heads snapped towards Lucy who they had forgotten about. She stared at the two of them but Natsu noticed her eyes were missing a certain something that gave them character. Lucy continued.

"Me and two others from my team were the only ones sent to retrieve you. Natsu already knocked one out. When he wakes up I'll tell him you beat me and we'll get out of here." Natsu blinked in surprise at her offer. He didn't know if she was telling the truth or if she was going to psych him out in the end.

"How do I know this isn't some trap?" he asked. Lucy groaned, comically to mask how hurt she was by her position.

"It's not, trust me. We'll take the west exit to our truck and you can take the south. We shouldn't even see each other. And I overheard the people torturing Lisanna that they're pulling out so there should be fewer guards. But you have to leave now."

Natsu hesitated in fleeing. He really did care for Princess and didn't want to leave her to fend for herself. Lucy noticed the hesitance in his eyes and it crushed her heart. If he kept doing that to her then it would only make her fall even more.

"Go, take care of you fiancée," she said. The word left a bad taste in her mouth that she didn't like. Instead she walked over to where Rogue lay to take care of him. Natsu and Lisanna watched her questioningly. Lisanna was still having a hard time believing that a Saber could be so kind to Fairy. Natsu on the other hand was wondering why she would just let them leave. In the past she always put up a fight, so what made this time any different.

With nothing else to say, Natsu heaved Lisanna's arm over his shoulder and wrapped an arm around her waist. The two sped out of the room to go find their other two teammates.

Lucy watched them go over her shoulder. She stared at Natsu's retreating form with longing. When she caught herself staring she shook her head. She couldn't dwell on what she discovered. It was clear now that there could be no future between them and she would have to accept that in time.

" _Lucy-sama what was all that about?_ " Lucy jumped when she heard Yukino's voice on the other end of her communicator. She had completely forgotten about her.

"Sorry Yukino, the hostage was just taken by Fairy Tail."

" _I know. I heard the whole thing_." Lucy bit her lip when she heard Yukino's tone. The blonde knew that the girl knew something. Lucy ignored her and started helping Rogue up onto his feet. He was pretty heavy, but she needed to get him out of there fast, "Yukino, do you see any guards by the west exit?"

" _Sorry Lucy-sama, there's a helicopter out here and a ton of guards. You'll have to_ _take_ _a different exit._ " Lucy grumbled in frustration. She hoisted Rogue onto her back and started dragging him out of the room.

"Remind me to tell Ryos to cut back on the sweets."

 **FAIRY TAIL**

Gray ran along the side of another longboat. He swore that if he ever saw another boat in his life he was going to scream. His and Erza's half of the mission had been a nightmare. Guards were everywhere and he felt like he was always on the tips of his toes. Not to mention he lost track of Erza.

It had gotten extremely difficult when all the guards started rushing to one side of the building. He had heard gunshots earlier and assumed that they were the reason for the hordes of people.

As three more guards ran past him, Gray prepared himself to rush into the building. Natsu was behind schedule and he had to make sure he wasn't dead yet. The guards passed and Gray sped into the building.

It was extremely dark and all the old equipment and machinery spooked him. He snuck down a hallway that led into the main room of the warehouse. Crates were pushed up against the walls of the area, being long forgotten. Thick iron beams that supported the building could be seen against the wall and up to the roof. He could see all the other floors up to the ceiling. Each area was sectioned off and protected by banisters so nobody would fall off. As Gray was mesmerized by the sheer size of the warehouse, he didn't notice the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Shoot him!" yelled the voice of a man. A couple of bullets were fired at Gray and he quickly ran behind a group of crates. Through the space of one he spotted a man with dirty blond hair with spot-like freckles shooting at him. He recognized him as the man who was guarding outside when him and his team first arrived.

Behind him were two women. One of them wore a black jumpsuit and faux vest. Covering her face was a mask with a strange black pattern on it. She too had pulled out her pistol and was shooting in the direction of Gray. The second woman had long, thick black hair held back by a white headband. She had on a lab coat and was standing close behind the blond man.

He jumped when the recurring bullets shot off part of the crate protecting him. He was starting to doubt that he would get out of this one. Just as his hopes were about to go down the drain, another round of bullets could be heard, however they were coming from somewhere else.

He looked through the cracks of the crate and gasped at the sight of the three Tartaros members being shot at from the south side. Gray took a chance and crawled out to see who was firing. He couldn't see the persons face, but she smirked when he saw a flash of red over the banister of the second floor.

"Find Salamander, Ice Boy!" yelled Erza over her shooting. Gray sweat dropped at his embarrassing code name, "I'll hold them off." Gray nodded, though he knew she couldn't see it. While the others were busy he rushed to the next hallway to find Natsu and Lisanna.

He ran up a flight of stairs toward the third floor to avoid the battle waging between Tartaros and Erza. He stopped at the foot of the stairs where he saw to regular guards caught off guard by his presence. He elbowed one of them in the gut and kneed the second one in the crotch. He grabbed the shoulders of one of them and flung him into the other one. They both crashed into the nearby wall.

He could hear footsteps approaching his location and pulled out his gun, aiming it at the hall entrance. He cocked the trigger just as a foot was made visible. He shot the bullet without hesitation.

His jaw dropped when it just barely missed Natsu's head.

"What the heck was that?!" Natsu yelled, jumping away from the spot Gray shot at. Gray's heart was beating irregularly at the thought of almost killing his teammate and childhood friend. It started to relax at the sight of Lisanna leaning into Natsu. Natsu let her go and put her up against a nearby wall. Gray was about to ask why he did that but Natsu slugged him in the face first.

"What are you thinking Ice Face? You almost killed me!" Gray grabbed a fistful of Natsu's shirt and punched him in the face in return.

"What's you problem? How was I supposed to know that was you Fire Breath?"

"You could have waited until I was around the corner before firing!"

"If you were a terrorist then that would have been enough time to kill me! You would have done the exact same thing!"

"You're right, but I wouldn't have missed your big head!"

The two grown men continued to bicker and argue; unaware that one of the guards was starting to stir. The man pulled out a small handgun and pointed it at Natsu. Just before he could pull the trigger, a foot came in contact with his face. The two men turned their attention to the man and saw Lisanna standing over him, smiling down at her handy work. She glanced up at her friends.

"What?" she asked. Gray let go of Natsu's shirt.

"Remind me not to get on her bad side." Natsu laughed in agreement. Lisanna took the gun from the man and gave it to Natsu.

"Can you walk?" he asked in concern.

"Natsu, if I can kick a man square in the face and more than likely break his nose I'm pretty sure I can walk," she said haughtily. Natsu smirked as the three of them ran back to the stairs.

 **FAIRY TAIL**

Lucy dragged Rogue through the empty corridors of the warehouse. Sweat dripped off her face and onto the floor. Because of the helicopter outside, Lucy had to drag Rogue all the way to the south side of the warehouse so Yukino could pick them up. She couldn't wait to throw him in the back of the truck.

"Yukino are you there?" Lucy panted.

" _Yes Lucy-sama, however we'll have to go under radio silence from now on. I have to pack up the radio and drive to get you. It might take a while._ " Lucy sighed but tried to mask her frustration.

"Okay. I'm still on the west side but we should get there in a few more minutes. I'll see you in a few." With that the radio went dead. Lucy stumbled along the hall and could see the entrance to the main area of the warehouse. Her heartbeat spiked at the sound of the gunfire.

She pulled Rogue up next to the banister. She looked down and saw two different groups shooting at each other from the north side and the south. On the north she saw two of the women and another man trying to escape the rapid fire from their opponent. On the south she saw a single woman with red hair shooting at the terrorists.

She recognized the woman as "Titania" from Fairy Tail. She often accompanied Salamander on his missions. She thought the girl was pretty cool, but she had the ferocity of a tyrant.

Lucy hoped that with everyone busy they wouldn't notice her as she got Rogue out. She readjusted him on her back and started walking again. She glanced down at the battle again and spotted something moving on the ground floor. Her eyes widened when she saw ahead of pink hair running from the north side of the building to the south exit. In front of him was another man who was firing back at the Tartaros members as they ran. Following Natsu was Lisanna.

"Hurry, the van is right outside," called Gray. Natsu sped up his pace to catch up with the raven head. He glanced back at Lisanna every few seconds to make sure she was still following.

Lucy knew that everyone's missions had spiraled out of control and it was only a matter of time before it all fell apart in their faces.

And it happened with a bang.

This bang sounded louder than all of the shots previously fired. Everything seemed to freeze as the sound of the gun being fired echoed through the whole warehouse.

All eyes were on the group of three who had been previously trying to escape. A staggered gasp escaped Lucy's mouth as she watched the group stand still.

Erza's eyes lay solely on her comrades before her. She had stopped firing long ago from sheer shock. Gray's lip dropped in unbelief. Natsu stared wide eyed at the person who had been hit with the single bullet.

"L-Lisanna?"

The woman wordlessly looked into the eyes of her fiancée before falling wordlessly to the ground. Everyone now had a view of the bullet hole in her back and the blood staining it.

"LISANNA!" Natsu tumbled over to her body and fell beside it. He gathered the girl in his arms and held her close to his beating heart. Gray's body trembled uncontrollably. His eye shot toward the Tartaros members but was shocked to find that they had already fled.

Lucy watched everything from her perch a few floors up. She could not find the words to express what she saw and how she felt as she watched Natsu wail the name of the woman he loved. Against her better judgment, Lucy continued to drag Rogue through the warehouse, tears falling with each step she took.

"L-Lisanna, please say something. Lisanna!" Natsu begged. His grip on her body tightened. He could feel the heat of her body slowly leaving her.

Her eyes flickered over to his. She looked up at him with her blue eyes that were once so full of life. A tear fell onto her cheek. She wanted to wipe it away but couldn't feel her arm. She couldn't feel anything.

"Na…tsu," she said weakly. Natsu brought her head closer to his. He whimpered loudly and despite herself, Lisanna smiled.

"I… love… you." The young girl's eyes drifted shut on her own.

"…Don't… dodge…" Lisanna's head fell over in Natsu's hold. Natsu pulled away as her body grew limp. Shuddering breaths came out of his mouth. He sucked in an uneasy breath.

" _ **LISANNA!**_ "

 _A whole squad from Fairy Tail had appeared at the warehouse the following day. Fairy Tail's director, Makarov Dreyar, found Natsu, Gray and Erza huddled around Lisanna's body. Not one of them had the will to leave it._

 _All of the agents from Tartaros had escaped during the night and disappeared without a trace. Nobody knew who exactly had shot Lisanna that night and all of the camera's had mysteriously disappeared._

 _Sabertooth found out about Fairy Tail's involvement in their mission and blamed them for interfering and stating that it was their own fault that the girl had died. Fairy Tail fought back with the same excuse. Relations between the two grew more intense than ever before. No longer was it just petty arguments but now a full on feud had started between them. Every Fairy hated the Saber's, and every Saber hated the Fairies._

 _And with that, two years had passed._

 **Wow, that was the longest prologue in the history of forever. Sorry you all had to endure through that. And before anyone asks, because I have gotten this question, NO I do not have a grudge against Lisanna. Her death is very important to this story and you will see in later chapters. I hope you all liked this and are begging for more. REVIEW! FOLLOW! SCREAM INTO A PILLOW! FAVORITE!**


	2. Chapter 1

**EEEEEE! I'm so glad everyone likes this story. I promised it a long, LONG time ago and I've finally gotten around to it. I hope you all enjoy reading it!**

The rays of the sun cascaded through the thin curtains, creating a blue illuminated light throughout the room. It wasn't nearly as powerful as the regular yellow lights that could blind a person just by staring at them, but it still had the power to wake the young, blonde haired woman who was still trying to sleep. Her golden hair was strewn about her pillow like roots of a plant. She twisted around in her comfy prison, content to lie there for the rest of her life.

However fate said otherwise. An obnoxious buzzing sound went off next to her on her nightstand. The red numbers of her alarm clock flashed on and off demanding her attention. She grumbled irritably, shoving her face farther into her pillow. The buzzing grew louder and louder with each passing second. Eventually the blonde could no longer stand it and despite her body's protest, she flipped around and slammed a hand on the snooze button. The room grew quiet once more, but now the blonde was too awake to fall back to sleep.

The blonde, Lucy Heartfilia, let out a content sigh, finally opening her chocolate eyes. She stared lazily at the white ceiling above her. It looked so boring but she couldn't take her eyes off it. She dreaded the thought of getting out of bed. She knew the minute she did, she would have to prepare for work.

 _How exciting,_ she thought sarcastically. She loathed work. More than anything. She was a member of one of the most powerful agencies in all of Fiore.

Sabertooth.

She had never truly loved her job. From the beginning she had never cared for it, but she did it because she had no other choice. Eventually Lucy grew to tolerate it. She had a wonderful team that she adored and every mission was always exciting. Testing her skills and limits, she learned more about herself from her missions than from anything. Over time she actually enjoyed going to work to make the world a better place.

But not anymore.

She hauled herself into a sitting position and stared at the foot of the bed for a solid minute. Eventually she pulled herself off the bed and toward her closet. She shifted through her clothes with a look of disinterest. She eventually settled on a light gray dress shirt and black dress pants. Lucy got dressed and put on a simple necklace with a key ornament on it. She held the key lovingly in her hand and smiled wistfully at it.

It had belonged to her mother many years ago. Her mother, a kind woman named Layla Heartfilia, loved collecting keys. Even after her passing her daughter still found herself collecting keys like her mother before her. The specific key around her neck was a golden key with the zodiac symbol of Aquarius etched onto it. If her mother loved anything more than keys it was the zodiacs.

Lucy let the key drop back onto her chest and she continued to get ready by grabbing some black boots in her closest. She came out of her bedroom and into the kitchen to make some breakfast for herself.

She shifted through her almost empty cabinets and grumbled. Reluctantly she pulled out some brand of cereal she didn't even remember buying. She shut the cabinet and prepared her meal.

Lucy ate her breakfast in silence, staring at her bowl emptily. Lucy lived on her own in a single one story house with her little yorkie, Plue. Said dog was lying on the couch, staring at his owner and trembling slightly from the cold. Lucy noticed his shaking and sighed. It reminded her that it was getting colder outside and she needed to pay the heating bill.

She took her now empty bowl and placed it in the sink so she could clean it later. After quickly brushing her teeth she grabbed her black trench coat and a plain white scarf with matching gloves to cover up her tattoo of her agency's insignia. She pulled out her large brown purse and glanced back at Plue one more time. He tilted his head up at her, silently pleading that she would spend the day with him instead of going to the job she clearly didn't enjoy. Lucy still mustered up a smile for him.

"I'll see you later tonight Plue," she said, leaving her home. Plue didn't respond as she closed the door. She didn't expect one. That was another thing she hated about her life. She was extremely lonely. Her teammates at work were all right but she never really hung out with them other than at work. She had no friends outside of her office to talk to either. Her mother was dead and her father never contacted her anymore because he was always busy. And of course, even though Lucy was beautiful, smart, and not to mention a crime fighting special government agent, she was completely and utterly single.

Sometimes she felt that Plue was the only one who would care if she disappeared.

Lucy walked down the sidewalk briskly. She didn't have an actual car so she had to take a train to her office building. She really needed the money for a car.

The walk to the train station was always a boring one. People were rushing here and there around Lucy to their own jobs. A gust of wind blew past Lucy and she pulled her coat a little tighter around her body. She was never a fan of the cold but she was somewhat relieved to know that she was almost to the station and the train would be heated.

She crossed a crosswalk as the light flashed for her and the other citizens around her to go. Her mind drifted to other places and she didn't notice the person coming right at her when she reached the other side of the street. She ran right into the person, bumping heads, causing both of them to fall. The young woman she had run into dropped a bunch of papers she had been holding when she fell.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry about that," she said, already reaching all the papers she had dropped. Lucy rubbed her head where she had banged her forehead against the young woman's. She looked the girl up and down. She had light blue hair that was pulled back by a cute headband. She had on a light pink coat and a grey pencil skirt. Her hazel eyes were concentrated on the file folders scattered across the sidewalk.

"No I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going," said Lucy in embarrassment. The bluenette looked up at her and smiled.

"Well then I guess we're both to blame," Lucy laughed lightly along with the bluenette. Lucy noticed she was struggling to hold all the papers in her arms.

"Do you need any help carrying that?" The bluenette scamper to her feet, pushing some of her short hair behind her ear.

"No no, thank you for the offer but I have it all under control." Lucy stared at her questionably. She seemed very jumpy and on the edge of her seat. Lucy shook it off as part of her personality. She stood up silently and looked down at the girl. She was much shorter than she originally looked. It was hard for her to believe they had bumped foreheads.

"Oh would you look at the time," the bluenette said, looking down at the orange watch on her wrist, "I'm running late. Sorry again for bumping into you," she said. Without another word she ran off across the street. Lucy watched her for a split second longer before remembering she still had to go to work.

She was about to continue walking when she heard a fluttering sound beneath her. She looked down at her feet and her eyes widened at the manila folder trapped under her foot. She reached down and picked up the folder carefully. It was pretty thick so she assumed it was important.

"Hey!" she called back, turning around to where the girl disappeared. However she was already gone. She stared into the distance where she had once been and sighed. She didn't want to be left with the responsibility of someone else's stuff, but it was probably very important. Without much though, Lucy unzipped her large purse and slipped the folder inside. If she ever ran into the girl again she would return it. Wordlessly, Lucy continued her way to the train station.

She stood by the tracks waiting for the train to arrive a couple minutes later. The train pulled up noisily and the doors slid open like they always did. Lucy and everyone else near her climbed into the train to find a decent spot. She took a seat alone on a nearby bench. She watched as all the other people did the same. The train pulled away from the station and everyone had a place to sit.

Lucy watched as the people pulled out their phones or started up conversations with their neighbors. Despite herself, Lucy mustered a small smile. Everyday she put her life on the line to protect the people of Fiore from the ever-growing threats around them, and yet they had absolutely no idea. That was one of the things she loved about her job, protecting the people.

Though it seemed that she was the only one in Sabertooth that cared about that sort of thing anymore. Lucy's eyes drifted out the window. She watched as building after building passed by fleetingly.

Two years ago she had been on a mission that changed everything about her life. Because of that mission, the rivalry between Sabertooth and their competitors the special agency Fairy Tail, tensions grew from bad to worse. Their relationship had already been strained enough as it was but with the death of one of their members their entire connection shattered like a piece of glass.

Now they were no longer competing for approval from the government but also out of utter hate and hostility. If either side crossed the path of the other they would actually all out fight, causing serious harm to their members along with their reputation as an agency.

Lucy missed the time when they were nothing more but playful confrontations. She had always admired Fairy Tail from afar, but now things had changed. Fairy Tail hated her and everyone she was associated with. She missed seeing the redheaded "Titania" and her team member "Ice Boy" on missions and testing her strength against them.

And she especially missed "Salamander".

Since that fateful day two years ago she hadn't seen him on the mission field since, at least not one where Sabertooth was involved. But she supposed it was understandable.

 _It was his fiancée that was killed after all._

Her stomach fluttered uncomfortably. She hadn't revealed to anyone about the feelings she harbored for the pink haired man and intended to keep it that way. She had hoped that after discovering that he was engaged that they would die, but they didn't. It broke her heart seeing his fiancée killed right in front of him and made her feel even guiltier for loving him like she did. She was constantly trying to make herself forget him but to no avail. Even so she still had the nagging feeling in her mind that reminded her why she could never be with him.

 _He is a Fairy and you are a Saber. It was never meant to be. He will never love you like he loves her_ , she thought sadly. Lucy had been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed the train pull into her stop. She jumped out of her seat and ran over to the door before it closed. She panted quietly, her eyes glancing up at the building before her.

It was a very impressive building, along with insanely expensive. It made sense to Lucy because they were always trying to upstage Fairy Tail. The entire building curved in a "C" shape. Windows lined one side of the building and caught the rising sun's light. In front of the building was a large water fountain with the agency's insignia in the middle.

Lucy always found the building very flashy and wasn't surprised if one day terrorists tried to blow the whole thing up. Most agencies had undercover buildings, however Sabertooth wasn't afraid to be big and bold to flaunt their power.

Lucy tightened her grip on her purse and walked into the large building. She was met with the bustling of tons of agents. Everyone was trying to get work done in an orderly manner. Lucy always felt overwhelmed by how orderly it was at Sabertooth headquarters. It wasn't natural.

People ignored her as she walked to the elevator to get to her floor. She pressed the button for the seventh floor and waited for the door to close, however before it did, someone else rushed in before it was too late.

"Sorry, I just need to reach the- Oh Lucy-san, it's you," said the man who had come in. He had the same blond hair as Lucy in a short spiky fashion that went everywhere. He had light blue eyes and a scar overlapping his right eyebrow. The man wore a blue and white flannel shirt with a dark blue tie around his neck. He smiled happily down at Lucy over the large box he was carrying. Lucy smiled at him like an old friend.

"Hey Sting, how are you?" she asked.

"Oh, you know, the usual," he laughed, shifting the large box in his arms. Sting Eucliffe worked down in the Sabertooth Archives, filing important documents or videos. He was originally assigned to Lucy's team a few years back but Director Jiemma wasn't happy with one of his missions and demoted him. It hurt Lucy to see Sting doing something he obviously didn't like.

 _I can relate._

"What have you got there, Sting?" Lucy asked, eying the large box in his hands.

"This?" he laughed, "It's just some old surveillance footage from a couple years back. The Young Lady was looking through it earlier and she asked me to return it."

"Why would Minerva want to look at old video footage?" Lucy mused. It wasn't like Minerva to bother with something so boring. Sting shrugged.

"Who knows? The Young Lady has always been a mystery." Lucy was about to respond when the elevator doors opened to reveal a woman standing in front of them. The woman hair was silvery with a rose barrette clipped in it. She wore a white blouse and a dark blue and black pencil shirt. She was looking down at the floor, but as the elevator opened her eyes drifted to the occupants inside. Her eyes fell on Sting and they widened. The two of them stared at each other for a full minute. Lucy's gaze traveled between the two of them as she noticed the blushes forming on their cheeks.

Lucy coughed, startling them out of their trance. Sting's eyes fell on the floor, his cheeks still red.

"See you later Lucy-san," he said, rushing out of the elevator and disappearing somewhere down the hall. Lucy hopped out of the elevator and she looked at Yukino smugly.

"Is something going on between you two?' she asked. Yukino looked up at her, a look of horror on her face.

"Of course not! Why would you assume that?"

"You two are embarrassed to look at each other and are avoiding each other," Lucy said, pointing in the direction Sting ran of to. Yukino waved her arms in the air.

"W-We're not avoiding each other. There is nothing going on." Lucy's raised an elegant brow.

"This is the seventh floor," she said. Yukino stared at her in confusion.

"Yes it is."

"Sting was headed to the Archives."

"…Yeah?"

"Archive's is in the basement."

Silence filled the void as Lucy watched Yukino's blush spread like a forest fire. She tried hard to keep her lips sealed from laughing but was failing miserably. Yukino glared at her.

"It's not funny Lucy-sama!"

"Yukino it's hilarious," Lucy responded, "I had no idea you liked him. He doesn't look like your type." Yukino stared at the ground, speaking lowly.

"I know that, but I really admire him. Even though he was demoted he still tries his very hardest to reach the top again. He has so much potential if only Jiemma could see it."

Lucy nodded in agreement. It wasn't fair to have Sting working a regular desk job. If Jiemma weren't so strict he would see that Sting was useful in other fields; The field he truly belonged in.

"Well, there's nothing we can really do. We just have to hope Sting can get Jiemma to reconsider. And don't worry about having a crush on him. I won't tell anyone. Besides," said Lucy, smirking devilishly, "I bet he likes you too." Yukino smacked Lucy angrily on the shoulder but the blonde just kept laughing. Her teammates really were the only people she looked forward to seeing every day.

"O my gosh!" Yukino suddenly exclaimed. Without a second thought she grabbed Lucy's wrist and started dragging her down the hall, "We have a meeting in one minute!"

"A meeting? We already have another mission?" It was protocol that a notice be given out to every agent the night or morning before a meeting so they could be ready, however Lucy didn't remember getting anything. It wasn't like Jiemma or Minerva to simply forget.

"I know it's last minute, but the director wants us as soon as possible," said Yukino, almost reading Lucy's thoughts. The two women sped down the halls as fast as they could without disturbing all the other people trying to get work done. As they rounded another corner, Lucy could see Ryos standing outside Director Jiemma's office. He had on a dark purple dress shirt and black dress pants. His shaggy hair lay on his shoulders elegantly. The man was staring at the door impatiently.

"I found her," Yukino said, releasing Lucy's wrist when they reached their teammate. His red eyes shifted to them and he let out a frustrated sigh.

"You could have taken another thirty minutes at the rate this is going," he remarked, gesturing to the door. From beyond it they could hear the low mutters of the people inside.

"What's gong on?" Lucy asked quizzically. Ryos shrugged.

"No idea. Minerva and Jiemma have been talking for almost two hours now."

"What about?" Yukino butted in.

"No idea. All I could make out was a mission. It sounded pretty serious." Lucy flashed her doe eyes at him.

"Is it our new one?" The man shook his head, "No, it's one from a few years ago I think. I can't make out everything they're saying." Just as Lucy opened her mouth, the thick door swung open. In the doorway was a young woman Lucy's age. She had long black hair with two strands tied into braids attached to two buns on the top of her head. Her eyes were a shade of green with dark blue eye shadow on her eylids. She had on a dark blue dress and black high heels.

Her dark red lips formed a scowl when she saw the small group before her,"Well why are you just standing around outside. Get in here," she growled, stepping to the side so they could enter. Lucy sighed softly to herself. Minerva was never in the best of sorts, but today she seemed more irritable than normal.

The three teammates walked into the familiar office. In the center was a large, glass table with about ten chairs circling it. Up by the wall was a television set used to display missions and details. At the foot of the table, beside the television was Director Jiemma. He had a very large build that made him look like an ogre. His blond hair was slicked back in a business fashion and his long beard was combed. Lucy tried to avoid his blank gaze. If there was anything she hated about her boss it was that you could never see his pupils and it scared the crap out of her. It seemed like only when he was extremely pissed did they ever appear.

Lucy, Yukino, and Ryos took their seats at the far end of the table while Minerva joined her father at the front. Lucy waited for them to speak.

"I'm sure none of you expected to be coming in here today," said Minerva lowly, "but we have a last minute mission that needs to be done and everyone else is unavailable."

"What exactly is the mission?" Lucy asked. Jiemma and Minerva glared at her.

"You will not speak unless asked to Heartfilia," growled Jiemma. His voice shook the room, "You already test our patience enough."

Lucy nodded, "Yes sir. It won't happen again."

"Well, if you would have let me continue, I would have explained it better." From behind her Minerva pulled out a small remote control. She clicked a few buttons, causing the television to turn on. She shifted through some files before deciding on one. As it opened, the image of a jeweled necklace appeared on the screen. The team gasped at the amount of jewels that decorated the piece of jewelry.

"What you are looking at is a rare necklace that belongs to former council member Michello," Minerva clicked another button and a picture of a short old man with a cat-like appearance popped up on the screen, "The necklace is completely composed of diamonds and stands for up to twenty million jewel on market."

Lucy tried to contain her amazement. That was a ridiculous amount of money for one necklace.

"Michello intends on giving it to his granddaughter for her birthday this weekend. Because of the value of the necklace he has asked that we protect it from being stolen." From the corner of her eye, Lucy saw Yukino hesitantly raise her hand to ask a question. Jiemma glared at her which caused her to shrink in her seat. Minerva pointed her finger at her, "What Aguria?"

"S-So we are going to g-guard over it?" she asked. It was a stupid question but she just had to clarify. The three teammates were startled when Minerva cackled uncharacteristically.

"Of course not. Such mediocre tactics would soil the Sabertooth name." Jiemma reached under the table and pulled out a black brief case. He turned it around so it was facing the group and clicked it open. Inside the brief case was a necklace identical to the one on the television.

"We intend on switching out the real necklace with this decoy," said Minerva. Ryos rubbed his chin in confusion.

"Why can't we just protect it?"

"Protecting it would be a waste of our talents. Something as important as this must be kept safe by the best hands," said Jiemma, "At his granddaughter's party you will swap the two necklaces out and bring the real one to Sabertooth where it will be kept safe."

"Did Michello himself ask us to do this or are we doing it against his orders?" questioned Lucy. The two family members glared at Lucy again. She was realty testing their patience.

"Michello wants it protected so that's what we are going to do. Him and his granddaughter are going out of town in a few weeks and we will return it to them at that time." Lucy wasn't very satisfied with that answer. It if they were going to just take it then that meant that Michello had no idea about their plan. It didn't sit right with her, however she couldn't go against her superiors. They were already pretty pissed at her.

"If there are no further questions, then Minerva will give you the mission plans," said Jiemma. In response, Minerva pulled out a small flash drive, "It gives the details on the format of Michello's house and the plan to swap the necklace. Your plane will leave at three o'clock on Friday for Michello's hometown where the party will be." Jiemma stood from his seat, towering over everyone in the room, "You are dismissed."

The three people stood from their seats, bowing slightly, before walking toward the door. As Lucy exited into the hallway and after her friends, she felt a hand tap her shoulder. She turned around, shocked to see Minerva standing there.

"Can I help you miss?" Lucy asked politely. Minerva smiled, making Lucy feel slightly uncomfortable.

"No, I just remembered something I forgot to mention in there that I thought you should know." Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, what?"

"It is more than likely that Fairy Tail will be involved in this mission as well." Lucy tensed at the name Fairy Tail. Images of the past resurfaced in her mind.

"Why did you feel the need to tell me?" Lucy asked in hopes that Minerva didn't notice her apprehension.

"If by some chance you do run into Fairy Tail, remember that as a member of Sabertooth you must surpass them by any means," she responded, "I know how you admire that lot and the last thing we need is you screwing up this mission because of them."

"If that's the case then why give me this mission?" Lucy asked boldly, "In fact, why even bother with this mission if Fairy Tail is going to do it? For a high ranking organization such as ours why would we bother protecting a simple necklace?" In truth that question had bothered her since she had been briefed. It didn't make much sense for her or anyone in Sabertooth to deal with a minuscule task. Minerva simply smiled.

"We are tigers Lucy. As tigers we must eat those who stand before us that are below us. If Fairy Tail thinks they can do a good job protecting a simple trinket then it is our job to do it better." Minerva started walking past Lucy, still smiling, "Don't forget that Lucy. We are Sabertooth." With that, Minerva disappeared around the hall. Lucy stood alone in the hallway, contemplating what Minerva had told her. Whether it was to torment her or not, it certainly put pressure on her mind and heart. Thoughts of Salamander reemerged in her mind causing her heart to do summersaults. She fisted her hands tightly, trying to keep them from shaking.

 _I am a Saber, and I will always be a Saber. He probably hates me just like every Fairy does._ With that thought on her mind, Lucy continued walking to find her team mates. They had a mission to do.

 **And that's a wrap. This wasn't as long as the last chapter, probably about half the length. I can't say that every chapter will be this long, I just have a lot to information to cover. Anyway, I hope you liked it. REVIEW! FAVORITE! DO A SILLY DANCE! FOLLOW! UNTIL NEXT TIME!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hello my people. Guess what, end of school testing is here and I probably won't update for a bit. I'll try my best but I can't guarantee anything. I hope you liked my last chapter, be ready for more!**

 **Before I forget, when I was writing, "Thank You, Nashi," I said I based Nashi's outfit off a picture I saw on pinterest. I found the name of the person who used it and had to give them the appropriate credit. The picture was by Fannachika(or Fannochika, the print is really small) and if you want to check it out it's on pinterest. I swear it is the greatest picture I have ever seen. Just had to say it. Enjoy the chapter!  
**

If there was one thing most people hated about the coming of morning, it's the sun. The sun always found a way to sneak its bright lights into the crevices of peoples' homes and shine its light directly on people.

It was absolutely the worst.

Said sunlight was violently raining down on a pink haired man who was trying to get some sleep. He growled in annoyance, shoving his face into his pillow. It seemed effective and the man let out a sigh of happiness. His eyes drifted closed once more, falling asleep faster than humanly possible.

The door to his bedroom creaked open and a blue cat walked into the room. His gaze fell on the bed of his owner and his sleeping form. The cat meowed and jumped onto the bed. It shifted as he walked toward his owner's face. The pink haired man did nothing when the cat was near. It sat right next to his face, staring down at him. The cat lifted a paw and stroked his face multiple times, trying to wake him up.

The man shifted slightly but continued to ignore his pet. The cat started meowing, testing the man's self control. He noticed the man's eyelids twitch and his mewing grew more persistent.

To the cat's surprise, the owner had sneaked his arm from under the sheets and around his furry body. The man lifted the cat high above his head and looked him dead in the eye. The cat stared back at his owner, Natsu Dragneel.

"You really know how to ruin a morning Happy," Natsu grumbled, eyes still clouded from sleep. The cat meowed in response, ignoring his owner's bitter tone. Natsu groaned irritably. The rest of his body began to wake up slowly. As it did, Natsu heard a beeping noise.

Placing Happy on his lap, Natsu sat up and glanced at the nightstand where the sound was coming from. His alarm clock was flashing violently, beeping louder and louder with each passing second. Natsu's body was at full alert when he registered the time on the clock.

"Holy crap, I'm late!" he yelled, trying to crawl out of bed, only to tumble to the floor in a mass of sheets. Happy leapt off the bed and ran into the living area. After detangling himself, Natsu followed.

He ran into his kitchen to find something to make for a quick breakfast. The pinkette opened the fridge but withdrew in disgust. He had no idea it would be so stinky. He shivered at the thought of cleaning it later.

He settled on a piece of toast and popped some bread into the toaster. While that was busy he grabbed a fish for Happy and threw it in his food dish. He went back into his room to find something to wear for the day. Nothing stuck out to Natsu very much so he settled on a red dress shirt and black pants. He never was one for dressing up, but protocol at work stated that he had to.

 _A fancy shirt and tie doesn't make Fairy Tail anymore appealing,_ he thought.

Natsu had been working with Fairy Tail for years. When he had lost his family, Fairy Tail had taken him in. They didn't even act like a secret organization most of the time.

While they still had to dress nicely every day, everyone was just another member of the family. Whether someone was talented or flawed, everyone was valued and that's what Natsu loved about Fairy Tail. He was proud to call it his second home.

When he was done he pulled out his special scarf that his father had given him. As he pulled it off its hook he noticed a small object sitting behind it. His body stiffened at the sight of the velvet box siting peacefully on the shelf. He stared at it for a few minutes, not having the strength to look away.

 _Lisanna's ring._

It was returned to him after the funeral. He wanted her to be buried with it, but Lisanna's older sister, Mirajane, said that he should keep it. He really wished she hadn't persuaded him. Now he had to suffer every time he saw it sitting somewhere unused.

Natsu felt as if his heart was tearing itself apart all over again. He could still remember the day everyone at Fairy Tail found out about Lisanna's death. Her sister was completely shattered and her brother Elfman was no better. Everyone mourned for the loss of their dear comrade, and while everyone tried to move on from it, nothing had been quite the same afterward.

Natsu had definitely changed. He locked himself inside his home after the funeral and hadn't come out for about two weeks. He eventually had to leave when Gray and Erza came to force him to work. He wanted to rot in his despair, however Gray had snapped some sense into him.

" _Put a shirt on and walk Flame Brain. Lying around isn't going to make her come back. You're not the only one who misses her, which means you aren't the only one still suffering."_

After that day he started going back to work. Natsu did his best to live everyday like any other, and he did fairly well. However, there was still a part of his heart that missed Lisanna.

Silently, Natsu closed his closet and put his scarf around his neck. Now that his mood had been dampened, he decided it was time to leave.

He grabbed his toast, which was now burnt, but ate it anyway. Natsu pulled on a coat and grabbed his car keys. He reached the door and felt something rub up against his leg. He looked down at Happy who was watching him sadly. The two stared at each other for a moment before Natsu reached down and rubbed Happy's head.

"I'll see you later little buddy." Natsu opened the door into the chilly morning. He wordlessly got into his car and started driving to work.

He messed around with the radio for minute but eventually turned it off out of lack of good music. Instead he just stared at the road before him, thinking to himself.

His mind wandered back to the ring sitting in his closet. His grip on the wheel tightened.

It had been two years since Lisanna was killed at the warehouse in Hargeon. Investigators still had yet to identify the person who had shot her and all the camera's had been emptied before they could check the film. It angered Natsu that he didn't even have a person to blame for the death of the woman he loved.

 _That's not true,_ he thought.

Debates about who was responsible lasted for over a month. Sabertooth argued that the mission was theirs and if Fairy Tail hadn't intervened then Lisanna might have lived, and of course Fairy Tail saw it differently. The two agencies argued constantly and tensions continued to escalate. Now both sides absolutely hated each other. Each blamed the other for Lisanna's death.

Natsu clenched his teeth. He hated Sabertooth. They always got in his way and now they had the audacity to blame him for his own fiancées death. His hatred for them was the reason he had stopped taking a lot of missions. If Sabertooth was even mentioned in a briefing he would refuse to go. He loathed them with his whole being. All of them.

 _Not all of them,_ his inner voice stated.

There was one he didn't hate. A certain blonde haired, brown eyed, field agent he had met long ago. "Princess" was the only Sabertooth agent he didn't hate furiously. He had to admit there was some good about her.

She had amazing talent for one thing and though she was small she packed a punch. Natsu enjoyed fighting her because she always had a different trick up her sleeve.

She was also smart, Natsu noticed. There were plenty of times she had outsmarted him and got the upper hand, which he didn't always mind.

Then of course she was also beautiful. When he first met her he was speechless. She had made Natsu's top list of people he found truly beautiful, and not just outer but inner beauty. He could see that she had a heart of gold and cared about the people she was trying to help.

All of these things made up the reasons why Natsu didn't hate Princess, but there was one thing he knew he could say about her that he could never say about any other Sabertooth agent.

He trusted her. He absolutely trusted her. Natsu didn't know what compelled him to believe that but something in his heart told him that she was different and she would never fail him. It was strange for him to think he could feel that way for a Sabertooth agent and he didn't know why.

 _Huh,_ he mused, _weird_.

Natsu saw his stop and pulled up into the driveway. He smiled through his front window at the building before him.

It was a small family restaurant. It wasn't overly decked out or fancy, but to Natsu it was home. He hopped out of his car and locked the door behind him. He had forgotten how cold it was outside and shoved his hands into his pockets.

He opened the door to the restaurant and a small bell jingled. The walls were painted red with pictures from fairy tales on the wall. He had taken the time to look at each one over the years. His favorite was a picture of a dragon protecting a princess from being taken by a knight.

 _Dragon's are the best,_ Natsu laughed inwardly. The rest of the room was filled with tables and chairs. Booths were lined up against the wall as well. At the far end of the room was the bar counter. Standing behind the counter was a young woman with thick brown hair, part of it up in a bun. She had on a blue shirt and a black apron was tied around her waist. She was staring down at a deck of playing cards while slurping out of a juice box.

She didn't notice as Natsu approached the counter. Natsu stared down at her as she flipped over another card. He leaned up against the counter smiling.

"Trying to read your future Cana?" he asked. The woman, Cana, jumped at the sound of his voice. Natsu laughed when some of the cards fell to the floor. The woman got on the floor to pick them up. She glared at Natsu from behind the counter.

"Jeez Natsu, what's your problem?" Natsu shrugged.

"My problem is that I have to wait for you to get into headquarters." Cana shuffled her cards and placed them back in their package.

"Yeah yeah, keep your shirt on. Let me see your ID." Natsu nodded and pulled out a gift card to the restaurant. Cana grabbed it and swiped it through the scanner. She handed it back to him and watched as he put it back in his pocket.

"What were you doing with all those cards?" Natsu asked out of curiosity. He could hear a humming sound nearby but ignored it. Cana sighed.

"Nothing really. I was just making sure I had all of them. I lose cards pretty easily when jerks like you spook me," she said, glaring. Natsu laughed nervously. Cana wasn't the strongest agent, not like Erza or the director's grandson, Laxus, but if there was one thing Natsu had learned over the years it's to never tick off a girl from Fairy Tail. They would skin you alive.

"Sorry Cana, it was a moment of weakness." Cana continued to glare at him. From behind her, Natsu saw two doors. One of them led to the kitchen, but the other…

The second door popped open, making a hissing sound. Fluorescent lights could be seen peaking out from inside. Natsu walked around the counter to the open door.

"Next time Natsu if you ever scare me I'm going to wring you're scaly neck, you got that?" Cana threatened.

"Yeah, I got ya," replied Natsu. Natsu opened the door farther so he would be able to slip in.

"Oh, Natsu," Cana called. Natsu glanced back at her. The brunette smirked.

"Come by sometime and I'll read your future. You might have a new sweetheart," she laughed. Natsu stared at her silently for a couple seconds before closing the door, leaving Cana alone in the restaurant.

Natsu walked down a bright hallway. As he walked, lights above him flipped on. Towards the end of the hall he could see a metal door. Next to the door was a scanner. When he approached the door, Natsu pulled out his ID and held it up to the scanner. A bright blue light shined down on the card. A moment later a beeping sound came from it and a little green light appeared. The little light faded and the door slid open.

The doors revealed a completely new building. The walls were a pure white and reflected the light of the fluorescent bulbs. Many people were working at desks, reviewing data on their computers. Others were bustling around with paper work. All of them were talking and laughing together even though it was a working environment. Natsu smiled at the sight.

 _There's no place like home._

"Hey Natsu!" called out a deep voice. Natsu turned to see a man with purple hair and a mustache walking up to meet him.

"Hey Macao, how's the family?" Natsu asked. Macao patted him on the back.

"Fine, fine. Romeo has been asking to see you again," he said, referring to his son. Natsu had met him at company activities and the boy had taken quite a liking to him.

"Well it's getting colder outside. I'll see him at the Thanksgiving dinner and the Christmas party in December."

Macao nodded, "I'll tell him. He'll be thrilled. Oh! Gray was looking for you," said the older man before he forgot. Natsu groaned. When Gray needed to talk to him it always ended in a brawl and paperwork to pay for the damages.

"Thanks I guess. I'll go find him," responded Natsu. Macao patted him once more on the back before walking off. Natsu walked through the crowed facility towards his desk. He never really used it, but it was given to him by the agency. The whole area was a mess and he didn't bother cleaning it. Natsu hung up his coat and rolled up the sleeves of his red shirt. He grumbled, walking off to find Gray.

The two had known each other since they were kids. In fact a lot of the members at Fairy Tail had known each other from childhood, and out of all the people, Natsu and Gray got along the least. They were like fire and ice, constantly battling over who was better. They always called each other names and threatened each other on a continual basis. Nobody fought like them.

It was strange for Natsu to think that Gray was probably his closest friend. While they always wrestled they understood one another better than anyone else. Whether people saw it or not, Natsu and Gray were practically brothers.

Natsu started off towards Gray's office. He zoomed past people, waving to a few and the occasional greeting. As he was walking by he bumped shoulders with someone. He glanced over his shoulder at a small bluenette carrying a large stack of files.

"Sorry Levy," Natsu said apologetically. The bluenette, Levy, smiled up at Natsu, shifting the files in her arms.

"Hey Natsu, it's good to see you, it's been awhile."

Natsu nodded, "Yeah how was your last mission?"

Levy did a majority of the research and paperwork at Fairy Tail, however she did in fact have her own team she sometimes went on missions with. The team consisted of four members. Levy was the brains of their group. Another member of her team was a young girl named Wendy. She was considerably young to be doing secret agent work, but she was an amazing nurse not to mention she could fit into small places. The third member was Juvia. Juvia did most of the reconnaissance missions, sneaking in and out of buildings as gracefully as a stream of water. Natsu thought she was pretty cool, but she did have an extremely large crush on Gray, which was annoying at times. The last member of their team was the leader, Gajeel. Natsu and Gajeel had a complex relationship. Gajeel and Juvia used to be part of an enemy organization called Phantom Lord, but after it was shut down they had transferred to Fairy Tail. Because they used to be enemies it took Natsu a long time to trust him. But as time past the two grew closer and their relationship came close to that of Natsu and Gray's, but a little rougher around the edges.

"It went well I think," replied Levy, "Gajeel got pretty beat up though." Natsu noticed a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Levy, you okay?" he asked. Levy blinked a couple times and Natsu noticed her cheeks grow slightly pink.

"Y-Yeah he's fine, all thanks to Wendy." Natsu couldn't help but notice how flustered she seemed. It wasn't like Levy to act the way she was. Before he could ask farther a hard force came in contact with his skull. He exclaimed in pain and turned around to find the man he had been looking for. Gray's raven hair fell lightly in front of his face. He wore a dark blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up similar to Natsu. Around his neck was a necklace that resembled a sword. He glared at Natsu.

"Took you long enough to get here Flame Brain," he grumbled. He then turned to Levy, smiling softly, "How are you today Levy?"

"I'm good, thanks Gray," she responded, her cheeks still pink, "I should probably take care of these files though. I'll see you two later." With that, Levy scampered off down the hallway. Natsu rubbed the back of his head angrily.

"Did you have to hit me so hard?" he asked.

Gray tsked, "Any lighter and you wouldn't have felt it through your thick head."

"Are those fighting words?" Natsu challenged. Gray smirked.

"Maybe, it's been awhile since we've had a good fight. I'm still stronger than you." Natsu laughed hysterically.

"Yeah right, we both know I'm the stronger one. Now what did you need me for?" Gray's playful attitude turned serious.

"We have a new mission. Gramps wants us in his office right now to discuss it." Natsu nodded in understanding and he and Gray started off to Director Makarov's office. It had been awhile since he had been on a good mission. All the ones Makarov assigned his team involved the possibility of Sabertooth being there. He missed going out into the field and sincerely hoped their new one wouldn't involve the Sabers.

They walked up to a glass door that slid open upon their approach. The room was a pristine white, devoid of any traces of dust or filth. There was a desk at the end of the table where a little old man with a white beard sat. Next to him was a young woman with pure white hair with her bangs pulled up into a little ponytail. She wore a light pink blouse and white skirt. Standing in front of the desk was another young woman with fiery red hair. She had on a gray blouse and black dress pants. She glared at Natsu and Gray for being late to their meeting. If there was one person who could scare Natsu and Gray into submission it was the powerful and dreaded Erza Scarlet.

"It's about time you brats got here," complained Director Makarov, the old man in the chair.

"Sorry Gramps. I slept past my alarm clock," Natsu admitted. The woman next to Makarov giggled.

"That is no excuse Natsu," said Erza. She stared up at him angrily which made Natsu feel smaller than he actually was, "I expect you to make it on time next time, understand?"

"Yes Erza," said Natsu. Gray smirked beside him. It was satisfying watching Natsu get reprimanded by Erza. Makarov picked up a small remote from his desk.

"Now that you are all here we can get down to business." He pushed a button on his remote and a flat screen emerged from the wall beside him. It flicked on and directed Makarov to a password page. Makarov typed in the password and the computer opened up a new file. The screen showed a picture of a very expensive looking necklace.

"This necklace is to be the birthday present of former Council member Michello's granddaughter," said Makarov. The team eyed it in interest. "He fears that it may be stolen at her party this weekend. We have been asked to guard the necklace until the end of the night."

"What are our assets?" Gray asked.

"The necklace is located at the basement level of Michello's house, guarded by a laser system and is watched by surveillance camera. Michello has agreed to give you all access to the lower floors and to the surveillance room if needed," said the woman beside Makarov. She grabbed a file off the table and handed it to Erza, "Here are the schematics for the mansion." Erza nodded and took them from her.

"Will guarding it one night be enough?" Gray questioned.

"Michello and his granddaughter are leaving the country in a few weeks on a private and guarded convoy. He only asked that we watch it at the unveiling at her party. I will have your tickets sent to you at-"

"One question Gramps," Natsu suddenly said. All eyes fell on the pinkette. Natsu stared at his boss seriously.

"Is Sabertooth going to be there?"

The room remained silent. Everyone waited patiently for Makarov to answer. The silence only made it clearer to them what the answer was. Makarov sighed and clicked a button on his remote, causing the screen to disappear into the wall.

"There is the slight possibility that Sabertooth will be there, but the chances of-"

"That's all I needed to hear," Natsu interrupted. Without another word he turned to the door and left the room. He didn't turn around to see if anyone was following nor did he care. He refused to be apart of a mission that could mean running into a Saber.

Natsu walked down the hall to the cafeteria. He stopped in front of a vending machine and started searching through his wallet for a dollar bill. He felt a presence standing behind him and glanced over his shoulder. After a moment of staring he went back to his wallet.

"What do you want Mira?" he said to the white haired woman standing behind him. Mira's light blue eyes flickered with sadness.

"Natsu, please go back to the office. Erza and Gray need you on this mission." Natsu let out a humorless chuckle, slipping a dollar bill into the machine and punching in the number of the soda he wanted.

"Yeah right. Erza and Gray can handle this on their own. I'll just help you around the building again." Since Natsu refused to go on missions most of the time he had to work with Mira to earn his pay.

"No Natsu," she said firmly, "It's time you went back out there. You don't belong in an office."

"Don't tell me where I do and don't belong," he said, finally turning around to face her, "I know where I belong and I know it's not out there with those Sabers."

"You don't really hate Sabertooth," Mira said boldly, "Everyone else is out there even if they hate them, why should you stick around here?"

Natsu said nothing. Mirajane was right and he knew it. He just didn't want admit it, because if he did then he would have to go back out there and face them. The sound of Natsu's drink falling into the compartment snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned back to the machine and bent down to grab it.

"Lisanna would want to see you out there." Natsu froze in his movements, "Lisanna would want you to be out there fighting for our country, because that's what you did best. The last thing she would imagine is seeing you cooped up in an office filing paperwork."

The two of them sat in silence for what felt like ages. Mira could tell she hit a sensitive target, but was determined to make him go. After her sister's death she was devastated. Mirajane was once a very mean and harsh person, but she changed in honor of her sister. She didn't know if she could ever move on, but she could do her best, and Natsu had to do the same.

Natsu sighed, running a hand through his pink hair. He spun around, soda in hand.

"You're not letting me out of this one are you?" Mira smiled innocently, blinking her eyes.

"Natsu, we both know who the strongest between the two of us is," she giggled. Natsu groaned, but smiled gently. He hated Sabertooth, but not as much as he loved Mirajane. She understood how much pain he was in and had a way of keeping him connected to Lisanna.

"Alright Mira, I'll do this one mission." Mira clapped her hands together.

"Good. Now let's go. I'll protect you from Erza," she said, grabbing his free hand and dragging him down the hall back to Makarov's office. Natsu's face reflected one of agony as he was pulled to what could be his doom.

 _Maybe it won't be so bad,_ he tried to think optimistically. It had been a long time since he had seen an agent of Sabertooth, heck they might not even show up. With that positive thinking in mind he and Mira rushed past another cubicle.

Inside the cubicle was Levy, sorting through her files. She went through the same ones over and over again, a look of confusion on her face.

"Hey Levy-san, what's wrong?" said a new voice. A young woman with wavy blue hair walked into Levy's office area. She had on a white shirt with a light blue coverup. Levy continued to look through her papers.

"Hey Juvia, I'm just looking for a certain file. I can't seem to find it."

"Oh really? What was it?" Juvia questioned her teammate.

"The personal information for some of our agents."

 **And it's done! I hope you liked this chapter. I don't know when the next time I update is. I have testing next week and these chapters are incredibly long. Also I'm trying to get more work done on my comic book. My family has inspired me to actually try to get it published. We'll just see how it goes. REVIEW! FAVORITE! SING AN 80'S SONG! FOLLOW!**


	4. Chapter 3

**YAY! I'm back! You all better be ready for my new chapter. I'm fired up now!**

Lucy stared blankly out the window of the plane. It was pretty quiet in the first class section; only the humming of the engine outside could be heard. Lucy was leaning up against the window, watching as birds and clouds floated by carelessly.

Her team had left on their mission earlier that day. They had been sitting in first class for about three hours and despite the endless amount of things provided by the staff Lucy was entirely bored. Jiemma and Minerva had rented out the whole first class so the only ones there were Lucy and her team. She didn't even have the sound of other people to keep her company. She was starting to miss Plue back home like she did every time she went away.

She took a peak at Yukino who was sitting beside her. In her lap was a computer. It looked as if she was running through the floor plans of Michello's mansion.

 _At least she has something to do,_ thought Lucy. Her eyes wandered back to the window. Her mind drifted back to her short conversation with Minerva back at headquarters.

Salamander could be there. The statement both terrified and excited Lucy. The sensible part of her subconscious said to avoid him at all costs. He was the enemy and could be a threat to her mission. Wanting to see him would just about be the worst idea possible, but the impractible side of her wanted to jump at the possibility of seeing him again. Lucy did her best to repress this side of her, for she knew it would only cause her heartache.

 _He probably doesn't even want to see me,_ she determined to put her excitement in line. She had to keep it under control if it meant the success of Sabertooth.

"We should run through the game plan," said Ryos as he sat down in the seat in front of Yukino and Lucy. Yukino greeted Ryos while Lucy sat up to discuss their strategy.

"What do we have?" he asked. Yukino typed something in her laptop.

"I've been reviewing the schematics of Michello's home, and I've got to say this won't be easy."

"Is it ever?" Lucy muttered loud enough for her partners to hear. Yukino smiled, trying to keep from laughing.

"The necklace is held in a secure facility in the basement of the mansion. The actual room is protected by motion detecting lasers. The rest of the basement level is under restricted access and can only be entered with an ID card."

"Not to mention there with be camera's everywhere," Ryos included. Lucy tapped her fingernails against her leg. She mused over the situation for another moment before turning to Yukino.

"Can I see those plans?" Yukino nodded and handed the laptop to Lucy. The blonde skimmed through the data, taking in every detail. Yukino and Ryos could see in the depths of her brown eyes a plan formulating.

"Alright," she said a minute later, "Here's the plan. In order to get down to the basement we need an ID. Yukino, I need you to snag one off one of the guards. Do you think you can do that?" Yukino smiled, nodding happily.

"Good. After we get an ID we can get down the basement level. According to the floor plans it looks like there is a locker room a few meters away from the surveillance room. If we have a strong enough radio range Ryos can disrupt their signal and transfer it to his computer. That way only he can see what's going on."

"I should have a disrupter with a large enough range to transfer the frequencies to my laptop," confirmed Ryos. Lucy nodded in satisfaction.

"As long as the guards are blind I should be able to sneak into the chamber the necklace is in and switch it out with the fake."

"But what about the lasers," asked Yukino worriedly, "and what if Fairy Tail shows up?"

"Don't worry about Fairy Tail," Lucy said firmly, " The longer we spend worrying about them the more difficult this mission will be. Fairy Tail will more than likely have been asked to guard the necklace so we can't let them find out that we intend on taking it. As for the lasers," Lucy chuckled, "there hasn't been a laser field I haven't been able to cross yet."

"Don't get cocky," warned Ryos, "there is always someone or something better."

"Maybe," replied Lucy, closing the laptop and handing it to Yukino, "but you never know until you try."

A small dinging sound resounded through the cabin, causing the Sabertooth agents to look up to the PA system.

" _Attention all passengers, we will be landing in approximately ten minutes. Please prepare yourselves for landing. Thank you for choosing Fioran Airline."_

"Alright then," said Lucy. She turned back to the window where she could see a small city. A small smile graced her face. This mission was going to be a piece of cake.

 **FAIRY TAIL**

"Uhhhhh~"

"Hurry up Pinky, we haven't got all day," growled Gray.

Natsu sat in his seat on the plane, holding the armrests for dear life. His face was an unhealthy shade of blue. He hated his motion sickness.

It was just his luck that his job required that he travel all around Fiore.

"Make it stop," he moaned, trying to keep from vomiting.

"Dude, we landed five minutes ago, now get up!" Gray was starting to lose his patience. He had to listen to Natsu complain the entire ride because he forgot his motion sickness patches. He didn't know what was worse, sitting next to a motion sick pinkette or Erza.

"Gray grab under his arm. I'll take the other one," said Erza, unaffected by the attention Natsu was giving. Gray obeyed and grabbed Natsu, throwing his arm over his shoulder. Erza did the same with the other arm and the three walked out of the plane.

When they got into the airport, Natsu fell to the floor kissing the ground.

"Never again!" he cried happily. Gray rolled his eyes. That's what he said every time. Gray spotted Erza coming back with their luggage, though a large majority of it was her own suitcases.

"Here you go boys," she said, handing them their individual suitcases.

"Erza why do you carry that thing around," Gray asked, referring to the cart that held her stuff.

"I don't see what the problem is. Lots of people bring this many bags on trips.

"Yeah for like vacations," argued Gray, "we're only spending one night here."

Natsu and Gray could feel the air around them tense. Erza glared at Gray with a fierce ferocity.

"Do you have a problem Gray?" she asked. Natsu snickered at Gray as his skin turned white as a sheet.

"N-No ma'am," he exclaimed. Natsu cackled, earning a punch in the shoulder from Gray. The three teammates started walking through the airport to catch a ride to their hotel. The halls were filled to the brim with people trying to leave. Natsu tried to follow behind Erza and Gray though it was a struggle.

For a split second his eyes drifted into the crowd of people. Suddenly his eyes caught onto something yellow, almost golden in the sunlight. As fast as it happened it vanished. Natsu searched around again but couldn't spot it anywhere. Sighing in defeat, Natsu ran after his comrades, his thoughts still on the flash of gold that had captured his attention.

The three found a cab and had it take them to Michello's house. He lived in a pretty expensive district and the three took great interest in it. Their cab pulled up in front of one of the larges houses there. They gawked at the large marble columns and hedges cut into the shapes of animals.

"Hey Gray, check it out!" called Natsu. Natsu had his head stuffed into the mouth of a lion hedge and was pretending to scream. Gray laughed, pulling out his phone to take a picture.

They walked up the large steps to his home, almost blinded by how shiny they were. Erza knocked on the door, which was immediately opened by a butler.

"Hello, we were sent by the government for your master," said Erza. As regulation, they weren't allowed to discuss their mission with anyone other than the person who hired them.

"My Master is expecting you," he said, opening the door wider so they could enter. The inside of the house was even more exaggerated then the outside. The walls were lined with paintings that looked rather expensive. In the main entry way was a crystal chandelier larger than a truck. Natsu stared at it, completely entranced by it's beauty.

"My Master is in his office," the butler interrupted. He led the Fairy Tail agents through the mansion and to a set of large wooden doors. He knocked on it twice before pushing it open.

"Master, the people from the government are here to see you," he said before turning and leaving to attend to other duties. The three agents walked into the office hesitantly. It was very large, filled with mostly books and old antiques. At the far end was a large window. Under it was a desk where a small man sat. He had orange hair and a mustache. His hair was done in such a fashion that it looked like cat ears. It startled Natsu and Gray to see he had a tail too.

"What is he?" whispered Natsu to his partner. Gray simply shrugged, not having an answer. Erza approached the desk, bowing lightly.

'It is an honor to meet you sir."

"As it should be," the small man grumbled, "So you are the agents the government sent to protect my granddaughter's necklace?" he questioned skeptically.

"That is right sir," Erza responded. The man hummed.

"I would expect the government's top agency to look a little more professional," he remarked, glancing at Natsu's tee shirt and jeans.

"I can assure you we are very professional when it comes to our work." Natsu and Gray nodded firmly in agreement. Michello sat silently for a moment, contemplating his next move. Natsu grew somewhat nervous under his stare. They watched him as he pushed down on a small button on his desk.

"Jensen, bring three security passes for my guests." Natsu let out a sigh of relief and he saw Erza's body relax. She looked pretty relieved to.

"I've decided to allow you to do the mission. You will each receive a security pass to the lower levels of the mansion, but remember, your duty is to guard the necklace. I don't want you going down there unless you deem it absolutely necessary. Have I made myself clear?" Erza nodded once, smiling tenderly.

"Crystal sir. Now if that is all, we should locate a hotel for the night and prepare for the party."

Michello nodded, "Yes you should, though I doubt your apparel will be much different." Erza ignored the insult and bowed respectively. She turned to the exit with Gray and Natsu following close behind.

"Now all we have to do is get the mission over with," said Gray, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Yep," cheered Natsu, "This will be a piece of cake."

 **FAIRY TAIL**

"Are you almost done Lucy-sama?" Yukino asked, tapping a hand against the door of the hotel bathroom. The Sabertooth agents had arrived at their hotel about two hours before the party. After running through their plan once more they decided to get ready to go.

Yukino had already gotten dressed, however Lucy was still locked inside the bathroom. Yukino wore a long silvery dress that fell to the floor. She had on diamond earring and a matching necklace. The only thing that stood out was the rose barrette in her hair.

"Come on Lucy-sama. Ryos-sama is already waiting for us." Yukino bit the inside of her mouth. Lucy hadn't said a word to her and it had been about thirty minutes since she went in. She was about to call out to her again when the door finally unlocked. Yukino's eyes widened with the door.

Lucy wore a light blue mermaid style dress. The fabric at the bottom spread out in a shimmering display much like a real mermaids tail. On her hands were long white gloves, more than likely to cover her tattoo. Her hair was let down, flowing into soft curls and on her neck was a key necklace.

Yukino was simply in awe, "Wow Lucy-sama, you look… you look…"

"Is it too much?" Lucy asked, looking down at her dress nervously, "I just thought since these people had a lot of money it would be easier to blend in."

"No no, it's amazing," Yukino responded, smiling. She took Lucy's hands in hers, "You look stunning. How the heck were you able to afford something like this?"

Lucy rubbed her arm nervously. Yukino was the only person she could really consider a friend, but there were some things she was not yet ready to tell her; Namely about her past.

"It was just on sale this one time I think. I can't remember," she said. Yukino sighed. She could tell Lucy wasn't being totally honest with her but didn't push it any farther.

"Well we should be heading out. The party starts soon and we need to get this done as fast as possible." Lucy nodded in agreement. She walked over to her bed to grab her purse. She pulled out a small communicator and placed it in her ear.

"Hey, Lucy-sama?"

"Yes Yukino?"

"Do you still like Salamander?"

The silence in the room was deathly. Lucy's body went rigid. To say she wasn't expecting that question was an understatement. She had no idea where that question came from.

"Excuse me?" she said softly, facing away from her partner. Yukino took a step closer to her.

"I remember a few years ago, the two of you fought and you found out," she paused, "you found out that he was engaged." Lucy remained frozen in place. She remembered the disaster of that day and still hated herself for the events that transpired.

"Ryos wouldn't have noticed it, but I noticed," said Yukino, taking another step closer to Lucy, "You sounded different after that. Almost like you were disappointed."

"Disappointed?"

"Heartbroken would be a better term."

The air felt thicker in the hotel room, both women could feel it. Lucy's arms trembled slightly at her side. She really didn't want to talk about her complicated relationship with Salamander. She was never good with relationships but this one took the cake for the worst and most disappointing.

Lucy body tensed when she felt Yukino grab her hand. She spun her around so Lucy was facing her. Without warning Yukino pulled Lucy into a tight hug.

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything. It still hurts doesn't it?" Lucy blinked back the tears building in her eyes. She nodded her head slowly. Yukino giggled.

"It will be fine Lucy. A broken heart doesn't last forever."

The blonde sat in her friend's embrace for another minute. It felt good that someone knew about her feelings. She was always so secretive, even to herself, so having another to bear the burden was refreshing in a way. Yukino pulled away, hands on Lucy's shoulders.

"Now perk up," she demanded smiling, "You're going to mess up your mascara." Lucy giggled, rubbing her eyes gently to keep from messing up her make up.

"Thanks Yukino," she said. Yukino removed her hands and folded them behind her back.

"Don't mention it. What are girl friends for?" Lucy nodded, placing her purse over her shoulder.

"Hey, maybe next time I can help you with Sting." Yukino grew flustered, her tan cheeks going red.

"Stop it with that!" The two of them started towards the door to their hotel room. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Come on Yukino, it's so obvious he likes you. The only person who can't see it is yourself." Lucy continued to tease her friend up until they met Ryos in the hallway. Nothing else was said between the two girls about their relationship problems. They rented a car and packed everything they needed for their mission. Finally prepared, they mad the drive to Michello's mansion.

 **FAIRY TAIL**

There were a lot of things Natsu hated in life. Sabertooth, motion sickness, and Gray were his top three, however there was one other that came close to them.

Dressing up.

Natsu hated getting all fancied up for parties. A dress shirt for a friend's party or a social gathering was okay but full on suit and tie was one thing he couldn't stand.

"Stupid neck trap," growled Natsu as he tied his black tie. He had on a black suit and light pink shirt underneath. Erza forced him to keep his prized scarf at the hotel which he also hated.

"You can say that again," said Gray beside him, adjusting his own black tie. He was wearing a black suit as well with a dark blue shirt where the jacket was unbuttoned.

"Grow up you two," said Erza. She wore a black dress and a necklace with a single blue gemstone. Her hair was pulled into a neat bun with a few strands falling past her shoulders. She shifted Natsu in front of her and helped to readjust his tie, "Try to behave yourselves boys. We are at a fancy party after all."

"It is pretty impressive," admitted Gray, glancing at the ballroom. The entire room was packed to the brim, with more than a few stragglers roaming the hall and foyer. Elegant music was playing in the background while people of all different shapes and sizes ate and socialized amongst themselves. Anyone who wasn't in the middle of the room was dancing merrily with one another.

Natsu had never felt so out of place in his life. He had been on a couple of missions where he had to go to a party, but on those missions he had opted to work on the sidelines over the radio or something. Since all they had to do was guard the necklace though he really wasn't needed anywhere else.

"Remember, we have to keep our eyes open for anyone suspicious." Natsu and Gray nodded in understanding. Suddenly a young man about their age stepped forward and bowed in front of Erza.

"May I have the next dance?" Erza smiled, grabbing his hand and dragging him toward the dance floor. Natsu and Gray cringed. That man was going to regret dancing with Erza the "Dancing Demon."

"I'm going to go hang in the halls, " said gray to Natsu, "I'll contact you if I see anything out of the ordinary. Natsu nodded and Gray disappeared through the crowd. Since he had nothing better to do, Natsu decided to venture to the snack bar. He grinned in anticipation.

 **FAIRY TAIL**

The Sabertooth agents pulled up to Michello's house and were stunned by the lack of parking space. They could hear the music from were they were. Ryos placed his laptop in a computer bag and they started walking up to Michello's mansion. By the time they got there Lucy and Yukino's feet were killing them in their heels.

When they entered the building it was even more extravagant than anticipated. They stared in awe at the beautiful gowns the women wore and the gorgeous displays of art and craftsmanship of the building.

"There are so many people here," Yukino said, moving to the side so someone else could get past.

Ryos nodded, "Do they even know most of these people?" he asked, referring to Michello and his granddaughter. Lucy waved him off. Her eyes scanned the foyer and the entryway to the ballroom. She looked back at her team.

"Do you remember your assignments?" They both nodded. Without another word the group split off. Yukino ran off down one hallway to steal an ID while Ryos went on his own, leaving Lucy alone in the foyer. With nothing better to do, the blonde headed into the ballroom.

It was just as packed in there as it was in the foyer. The noise of the music and the socializing was almost deafening. Lucy noticed a few men staring at her and grew very conscious of her appearance. She wasn't used to having so many people look at her.

She walked up to the food bar and stood silently by herself. The food looked very appetizing, however she was too anxious and preoccupied mentally to eat any of it. Men continued to stare at her but their female partners whacked them into their senses. Lucy was very grateful for that.

The music changed into a slow song. It was very soothing Lucy thought. Her eyes closed as she just listened. Her body began to sway with the rhythm. She was lost in her own dance with the harmony and melody.

Her eyes slowly opened as if commanded to by some unknown force. Her brown eyes clashed with the dark green ones of the closest person. They stared at each other wordlessly, both unprepared to be in the presence of the other. Lucy took in the sight of the man who had been plaguing her mind for two whole years. She watched his mouth open.

"Princess." She let hers do the same.

"Salamander."

 **That was a lot of information for one chapter. Is this all going by too fast? Tell me what you think. REVIEW! FAVORITE! COLLAPSE ON A COMFY COUCH! FOLLOW!**


	5. Chapter 4

Reunions under normal circumstances are usually happy occasions. One being united with a loved one can give a person chills with excitement and thrill at the thought. Imagining seeing someone dear to you and running into their arms after a long period of separation is appealing to anyone to say the least.

In Natsu and Lucy's case however it was not.

Both people in question stared at their counterpart in complete and otter shock. While both had slightly hoped that they would bump into the other at the party, the situation suddenly felt all too real for either of them to handle like a normal person. It didn't help that the music had stopped at that moment. It made Lucy feel as if everything in the world was stopping specifically to add to the pressure of facing Salamander again.

Lucy could feel her body grow warm at the sight of his handsome face. His apparel only added to the fire in her heart.

Natsu's eyes shifted down to her dress. He was startled when he felt his own cheeks heat up. She looked absolutely stunning standing there in her blue dress. He couldn't explain why he thought that about her. His eyes wandered to her right hand which was covered by a white glove.

 _Right, that's the hand where her tattoo is,_ he remembered. His gaze suddenly hardened as his senses slowly returned to him. He was on a mission, and he was positive she was there for the same reason, which meant that he had to make sure she stayed out of his way.

Lucy noticed his soft onyx eyes turn cold in an instant and she flinched. She almost believed he was glad to see her by the way he was staring at her, but now he was looking at her like another one of his obstacles in completing his goal.

Another enemy.

Lucy's heart clenched at the thought. She had expected it and had mentally been preparing for it leading up to her mission, but because she let her guard down at the sight of him her defenses were down. Now her feelings were compromised. She could only blame herself for her own mistakes. Lucy looked back at Natsu with a look matching his.

"Salamander," she said, trying to keep her voice from wavering.

"Princess," he replied in acknowledgment. Lucy straightened her form, sucking in a quiet breath to steady herself.

"It's been a long time."

"Two years," Natsu nodded. The awkwardness was slowly diminishing and the air around them was tense. Nobody in the room paid any mind to them while they went about their business, socializing with their friends.

Lucy's heart jumped when the musicians began playing once more. It was another slow song; one that both her and Natsu had admitted was quite beautiful. Couples began swarming to the center of the room, dancing contently. As Lucy watched them gather, Natsu's eyes were fixated on the blonde in front of him. Now he knew that Sabertooth was going to try something. He figured he would have to keep her busy from her actual mission so that his team had the upper hand. Sighing gently, Natsu lifted up his hand towards her.

 _This is just to keep her distracted,_ he decided in his mind.

"May I have this dance?"

Lucy's head spun around to face him, noticing the hand he had held out to her. Her brown eyes widened. She didn't know how to approach this situation. He was clearly only asking her to keep her distracted and she knew this, though there was a little voice in her mind that didn't really care. She wanted to indulge her heart in this rare moment between the two of them, at the very least to satisfy her desires. But it would most definitely be a mistake if she did agree.

Lucy felt eyes on her and glanced to the side where a few people were watching her, expecting her to say yes to such an attractive man. Lucy felt trapped under the pressure of social convention. If she didn't say yes then it wouldn't appear very ladylike and she would gain more attention than she wanted. Her brown eyes were fixed solely on his hand before her.

Natsu was starting to grow impatient by her lack of response. As much as he tried to deny it, a small part of him was confused and almost hurt that she wouldn't take his hand. Years ago she didn't have a problem with it, and that was when they were directly fighting one another with their fists. He could only blame himself for creating this gap between them because of their careers.

Lucy could see the conflict in his eyes. It was almost as if he was asking her to save him from the situation he had thrown them into. Lucy's kind heart couldn't let him suffer through the pain and embarrassment of rejection while in a public place. Whatever he had planned didn't bother her anymore. Her mind was made up.

"Of course," she said, placing her gloved hand in his. Through her glove she could almost feel the callouses of his hand. Her fingers curled slightly around his as he led her towards the dance floor. He brought her to a small space where nobody was dancing and pulled her in front of him. Natsu never really liked dancing- all because of a certain redhead -but he knew the basics and it would have to be enough. He gently placed a hand on her hip and she placed her hand on his shoulder. He tightened his grip on her hand. Listening to the beat of the music, Natsu and Lucy began to sway along with the rhythm.

Lucy was impressed Natsu even knew how to dance, it didn't fit his character, but then again he was full of many secrets and surprises. There was a comforting feeling as they moved softly to the beat. She leaned in closer to Natsu, marveling in how warm his body felt even if it was still an inch away from hers.

"How have you been?" she asked, trying to strike a conversation with her old "buddy".

"Well, I guess. Things are basically the same," he lied, and Lucy knew it. Everything was clearly not the same. She didn't know why he was lying to her when it was as clear as day that it was struggle for him to want be there.

"I didn't think you would come," Lucy found herself saying, "It's been such a long time since you've been in the field." She saw Natsu's body tighten and his hand on her waist twitch.

"I've been busy," he claimed. He didn't want her knowing how bored he had been at the office.

"Doing what?" she pressed further. He lifted a pink brow.

"Nothing too important," she looked up at him skeptically. "Mostly paperwork," He added. Lucy giggled softly in response. Natsu forbade himself from smiling. It was kind of funny for the great Natsu Dragneel to say that out loud.

"That sounds ultimately boring."

He nodded, "Yeah it is." Lucy smiled warmly. It seemed like he was opening up to her again, even if only a little bit. She would take what she could get if it meant they could go back to normal.

The world around the two melted into a peaceful one, one where their backgrounds and pasts didn't matter. For a few moments, Sabertooth and Fairy Tail didn't seem to matter to either of Natsu or Lucy. They were swept up by the beat of the music and were lost in its magical powers.

Wanderers off to the side watched the two adults with interest, yet neither of them were aware of the attention they had. Lucy stared into Natsu's eyes, a blissful smile appearing. Even if it was for just a second, she was content being in his arms. He may not share her feelings, but in that moment, to Lucy at least, he was hers.

Their movements grew steadier, resorted to simple swaying in place. Lucy unconsciously tightened her grip on Natsu's hand, fearing separation. Lucy was startled when she felt him squeeze back. She looked up at him in confusion. His eyes were on their feet.

"You're here," he whispered. Lucy nodded, to stunned to say anything else. His grip tightened again. Lucy squirmed uncomfortably. It was starting to hurt.

"You're here," he repeated. Lucy bit her lip slightly, "Yes, I am here."

"Why can't you just leave me alone," he almost growled. Lucy blinked several times, her eyes growing wet. She could feel his frustration emanating from him. She didn't understand where all of this was coming from.

"You always feel the need to get involved. Why can't you just stay out of it? Maybe then everything would go smoothly for once," his orbs shifted up to hers. They were once again hard like stone. It dawned on Lucy that Natsu was referring not to her specifically but to Sabertooth. She was relieved that he didn't direct all his malice to her however there was still spite in his words towards her agency. Lucy searched his eyes for any sign of the man who she had been dancing with just a few short moments ago.

"Salamander, I understand that you are still hurting, you're not the only one that regrets that day. You have to-"

"Regret?" Natsu asked, his words coming out harsher than he intended, "What do you know about regret? Lisanna wasn't your friend. She was your mission." Lucy's eyes expanded slightly, taken back by his claim. His eye appeared glossy from the tears he was trying to suppress "And because of you, you failed your mission, and I failed her."

Lucy tried to find the right words to say, but nothing came to mind, because she knew he was right. Sabertooth stepped out of line and an innocent woman lost her life because of it. Lucy dropped her head in guilt and shame.

"I don't know what you plan to do here," he continued to say, "but let me make myself clear." He leaned in a little closer to her ear so that no one else could hear. She sucked in a breath, relishing slightly in his smoky scent.

"We will not lose to you. Not as long as I'm here."

Lucy did not respond like she intended to. Natsu's words struck her mind and body. She had made a mistake by communicating with him during a mission and now she could pay for it with her career and her life. Lucy hardly noticed when the music had ceased and Natsu released his hands from her hand and waist. She watched numbly as he bowed slightly.

"Thank you Princess," he said, with a hint of disdain. Without another word he turned and disappeared into the crowd. Lucy watched stiffly while his form became one with the rest of the guests. His words were still fresh in her mind and it made her shiver. She didn't remember his voice being so cold before.

Lucy was startled out of her thoughts when a hand clapped on her shoulder. She jumped and spun around.

"Are you alright Lucy-sama?" Yukino asked, eying Lucy worriedly. Lucy nodded, though it was a lie. Her thoughts went back to Natsu and his threat. She knew it would be best if she told Yukino that Fairy Tail was there. With them there they could be compromised, especially since their plan was the steal the thing they were trying to protect, but at the same time Lucy felt like she would be compromising herself. Yukino knew that Natsu was important to her and if the mission was at risk she would demand that Lucy sit it out. Lucy refused to sit on the sidelines when there was a job to be done. She was going to get the necklace, whether Natsu was there or not. It was time to get serious.

Lucy placed her hand on her cheek, trying to discreetly wipe away some of the sweat that had gathered from her nervousness.

"Yes, I'm fine. You just surprised me is all." Yukino smiled in relief.

"Are you sure? You were as white as a sheet," asked her friend. Lucy nodded.

"I'm fine. Don't worry," she said. Lucy's expression turned to the dangerous gaze of Lucy of Sabertooth, "Did you get the card?" Yukino nodded once. Lucy looked down at Yukino's arms. They were planted at her side, hands in fists. Lucy caught a glimpse of a white rectangular object in her hand. Lucy's eyes met Yukino's once more.

"Rogue is heading down to the locker room as we speak. He can shut their camera's off for about five minutes." Lucy nodded in understanding. If she couldn't grab the necklace and switch it out for the fake in that amount of time then she was on her own. That was fine with her.

Yukino strolled past Lucy, discreetly placing the ID card in her hand.

"Good luck Lucy-sama," she whispered by her ear. Yukino disappeared into the crowd. Lucy didn't bother to look back. Lucy straightened her back and walked briskly into the crowd of people towards the back of the building. Lucy tapped her ear slightly.

"Rogue, can you hear me?" she asked. She could hear static on the other end of the earpiece.

" _Loud and clear Princess_ ," he responded.

"Have you made it to the locker room yet?"

"Almost," came his reply. Ryos straightened his tie as he casually walked down the hall of Michello's home. Some people gave him questioning looks for carrying his laptop back around, but he just flashed them a small smile and kept walking.

He turned a corner where he saw a group of doors. There was a large man standing in front of one of them. He spotted Ryos almost immediately and then the bag on his shoulder.

"Sir, the party is in the other direction," he said. Ryos placed as hand on the bag strap.

"I was wondering if you could help me. I'm looking for a place where I can put my bag," he said coolly. The man pointed to it, "What's in it?"

"My laptop. I'm a student at the University and it has some very important files on it. I need it in the safest possible location." The man looked at him skeptically. Ryos had possibly one of the most stoic faces on the planet. The man couldn't find any clue on his face that he was lying.

"There is a locker room right here," he said, gesturing to the room a couple feet away from him, "There are keys on the wall inside. Take your key with you after you lock your stuff." Ryos nodded in thanks and walked into the locker room.

Once inside he pulled the bag off and took a seat on a bench in the middle of the locker room. He pulled out his equipment and started setting up the computer. He took out the flash drive with the mission information on it and plugged it into his computer. Before doing anything else he stood up and went back to the door. He cracked the door open to stare down the hall. The guard who had told him where the locker room was switching posts with another man and walking down the hall to another location. Ryos closed the door and rushed back to his seat.

"I'm at the locker room Princess. I'll have eyes in about three minutes."

Lucy nodded her head, strolling down the hall towards the basement.

 **FAIRY TAIL**

In a dark corner of the ballroom, Natsu stood, watching the people as they laughed and danced. They had no idea that something much larger was happening right under their noses.

There were times he marveled all the regular people of the world. All they had to worry about was when deadlines were due or what time they had to be home for dinner. At the same time _he_ had to worry about everyone else's lives along with his own. His job was about the well-being of Fiore and it was a lot to put on someone's shoulders.

At times where he could just sit and watch people be people, he wished he could be one of them. Partying, having fun, living like a normal person. There would be no missions, no terrorists, and no death.

 _Maybe if I had lived a normal life, Lisanna would still be here,_ he thought sadly. The idea had crossed his mind more than once. If they hadn't gotten involved with the government then they could have gotten married, settled down, and started a family. Because they lived the life they did, Lisanna was dead and he was a broken man.

Natsu's gaze wandered through the crowd, half paying attention to what was going on. A flash of gold entered his vision and he finally snapped out of his daydream. He watched as Princess walked through the crowd of people, glancing around every few seconds. His interest peaked as she wandered farther away from the crowd of people and towards the area he had been briefed about not to let anyone enter.

The basement where the necklace was.

Natsu left his corner and started shoving through the sea of people in the direction Princess went.

"Erza, Gray, Sabertooth is here."

" _Are you positive?_ " came Erza's instant reply.

"It's Princess, and I'm sure there are more of them. She's heading towards the basement."

" _Great,_ " came Gray's voice from the other end, " _it's never easy for us is it?_ "

" _Natsu follow her. Make sure she doesn't make it to the necklace. I'm on my way to the security room to alert the guards._ "

"I'm on it," Natsu responded. He continued to push people as he chased after Princess. He could barely see the top of her head.

He was able to make it out of the large mass of people, but he could no longer see her. His head swung around frantically. He couldn't let her get away. His head spun around and he saw her retreating form once more. He followed behind quietly so she wasn't alerted of his presence. She turned down a hallway and he followed.

This process continued for a couple more corners until Natsu noticed that the number of people had diminished. The halls were now dimly lit because people weren't allowed back there. Natsu peaked around the next corner where Princess had stopped at a door. Just as he had suspected, she was going to the basement. She held up a small object and Natsu's eyes widened. In her hand was an ID that was similar to the ones Michello had given him and his team. She held it up to a scanner that was beside the door. Natsu could see a little green light blink through the darkness. An unlocking sound echoed down the hall. The blonde pulled open the door as secretly as she could. Princess walked into the room and quietly shut the door behind her.

Natsu waited another moment before running to the door. He fumbled through his pockets for his ID. He finally found it and held it up to the scanner. The scanner flashed green and the door unlocked. Natsu slowly pried the door open. There was a cement staircase that led down into the deep recesses of Michello's house. At the bottom of the stairs he could see the faint glow of luminescent lights. Natsu glared at the light. Stepping onto the first step, Natsu closed the door behind him.

Sabertooth wasn't going to win this time.

 **FAIRY TAIL**

The number of people entering the building had diminished over the evening, leaving the outside quiet with the background sound of the partying in the building. From the darkness a single black car pulled up to the front steps of the mansion. The driver exited his side and walked casually to the doors where his passenger was. He placed a gloved hand on the doorknob and held the door open.

A tan high heel placed itself on the marble staircase. The driver held a hand out for the passenger to take. Out of the car stepped a woman who admired the building with a very interested stare. She wore a light purple dress with a slit down her left leg. She had on a thick brown belt on her waist. The dress had one thick strap over the right shoulder.

She released her driver's hand and started walking up the steps. She glanced at him over her shoulder as he closed her door.

"Go around back. Don't forget our birthday present." The man smirked, his smile creating wrinkles on his spot-like freckles. He said nothing as he sat back in his seat and drove off.

The woman walked slowly up the steps to the front door. When she finally entered the building it was as if all life had been sucked out of the guests. They watched her stroll into the foyer silently. The smile on her face made the women squirm and the men sweat nervously.

At the door leading into the ballroom stood Michello and his granddaughter, Michelia. She wore a light pink dress with a frilly hem. Her light orange hair was braided and pulled into a bun. She said "hello" and "thank you" to everyone who came up to her. Both Michello and Michelia seemed to notice the grim feeling that had appeared in their home. They turned their gaze to the woman was strode towards them. Michelia bit her lip nervously. Something wasn't right about her.

"My lord," the woman said in a sickly smooth voice, "I apologize for being late for your granddaughter's party. I hope you can both forgive me." Michello stared at her in confusion. He didn't recognize her and she was having a negative effect on his guests. Seeing that her grandfather wasn't going to say anything, Michelia smiled nervously at the woman.

"It's alright ma'am. Please enjoy the party," the girl said, holding a hand towards the ballroom. The woman smiled at her. Michelia could feel her light blue eyes staring into her soul.

"I'm sure it will be a night to remember," said the woman. She strolled past them into the ballroom, her long green hair whipping back and forth as she moved.

 **I apologize that it took me so long to update everyone. This summer is going to be pretty packed but I'm going to update as often as I can. REVIEW! FOLLOW! SET FIRE TO ALL YOUR OLD SCHOOL WORK (That's what I'm doing** **) JUST MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ADULT SUPERVISION! FAVORITE!**


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